I know of two people who have asked the mayor to please explain what exactly is involved in the council's Relationship Protocol with Ngai Tuhoe. To my knowledge the mighty one has not deigned to acknowledge either of these people. Well, I am a ratepayer requesting an answer and I would like Mr Crosby to reply to me through this column. We need to know the nuts and bolts of what is about to occur.
I have heard the words 'co-management and co-governance”. Take heed of events in Auckland!
The Auckland Council has had thrust upon them the Maori Statutory Board and with them came some nasty little surprises. With a budget of $3.4 million, they returned with a wish list of $295 million over 10 years to be funded by ratepayers.
It was full of cute little items of non-tangible fairytale stuff which lose their fuzzie-wuzzie appeal when ratepayers wake up to the fact that this is to come out of their pockets. Just a couple of nonsensical items were - $72.3 million for guardianship of sky, sea and land, $116 million for authority over resources and affairs, $9.25 million for the right to participate in the community (pardon - that is free!), and my favourite - $31.75 million for the life force of ancestral lands and waters. Another was $42.8 million for the mana of Auckland iwi and hapu co-governance arrangements.
The same word 'co-governance” which is central to this deal with Ngai Tuhoe.
The mayor needs to explain to us quick-smart what exactly this co-governance with the tribe entails. We need to know why we were not consulted.
We also need to know that this will not cost us, the ratepayers one cent more than at present.
Mr.Crosby, I await your reply!

R. Bishop, Pyes Pa.