Maori Party Post-Election Achievements

It has been almost seven months since the Maori Party struck a coalition deal with the National Party-led Government.

Achievements Since The Election

1. A guarantee by the National Party that it will not seek to remove the Maori seats without the consent of the Maori people.

2. A review of the Foreshore and Seabed Act is now underway, and scheduled to report by 30 June 2009. The review will look at whether the Foreshore and Seabed Act as it stands adequately balances Maori customary interests and the rights and interests of all New Zealanders in using the beach.

3. Implementation of the Goulter Report to enable extra funding for very large electorates to improve access to MPs for constituents (the increased funding will provide vital support to 6/7 Maori electorates).

4. Undertaking from Government to consider constitutional issues including Maori representation with an undertaking to establish a group by early 2010.

5. Maori Party input into the process of Government appointments, with recommendations from the Maori Party being considered ‘in good faith.’

6. The Minister of Maori Affairs has established a Maori Economic Development Taskforce, following the Maori Economic Workshop held in January 2009.

7. The Minister of Maori Affairs is coordinating a consultation process around the Maori Flag to seek agreement on which flag should fly on the Auckland Harbour Bridge and public buildings on Waitangi Day.

8. Government dropped plans to rewrite Treaty clauses in the Resource Management Act (RMA) in the face of opposition from the Maori Party.

ENDS

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