Council Consultation Absurd

Full marks to Wellington Tenths Trustee Peter Love for telling the Wellington City Council that its consultation requirements with Maori have been taken to outrageous lengths, ACT New Zealand Acting Leader Ken Shirley.

"The burying of human parts and remains, and the scattering of cremation ashes in public parks, is not an issue of concern to local Maori - and neither should it be," Mr Shirley said.

"Throughout the country, local bodies are imposing unreasonable burdens on local iwi by subjecting a wide range of activities to their approval. In the RMA process this leads to incredible costs and delays - and sometimes iwi are unfairly blamed for delaying projects when, in fact, the real culprit is the local body and its endless requirements for consultation.

""The suggestion that a placenta, or a few grams of ash, could be damaging to the plants in public gardens - as claimed by the Wellington City Council - is farcical. In fact, I'm sure the potash, and blood and bone content, is of immense benefit to the plants.

"It is foolish rules and bylaws such as this that impinge on civil liberties and consume precious time and money for no good purpose. I call upon Wellington City Council to review its foolish policy," Mr Shirley said.

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