There is widespread and justified outrage at the Auckland Unitary Plan ‘dangerous' heritage rules. There can be absolutely no justification for any special undefined powers given to 13 unelected unaccountable Auckland iwi authorities, in respect of unspecified private property.

Aucklanders and all New Zealanders should be gravely concerned at this absurdity. Supercity councillors and bureaucrats should hang their heads in shame for allowing these race-based provisions to creep into the Auckland Unitary Plan in the first place.

The sin is compounded by not appreciating the serious implications and ramifications before the draft plan was put out for public consultation, particularly as the proposed plan had earlier snuck past councillors.

The only way to address this aberration is to take all reference to iwi consultation on cultural and heritage matters, as they stand now out of the plan and go back to the drawing board - there is no place for race-based policies in NZ.

Lastly, well done Shane Jones (Labour) and Winston Peters (NZ First), for at least appreciating the wrong and realising the danger of race-based policies.

Tauranga City, with its PCPolicy on co-governance of harbour, the moves for non-elected Maori interest seats, and the bilingual city thrust should all put Tauranga citizens on the alert

R Paterson, Matapihi.