The Letter to the Prime Minister, asking him to put the ill-advised Resource Legislation Amendment Bill on hold, was written by the New Zealand Centre for Political Research – a public policy think tank established by former Member of Parliament Dr Muriel Newman in 2005.
The letter was sent to the PM on April 1, 2017. We feel so strongly about the need to stop the Bill that it has also been published in the Herald on Sunday and Sunday Star Times on Sunday April 2, 2017, to inform the public about what’s going on and to urge them to contact the PM themselves.
Constitutional lawyer Stephen Franks, of Franks Ogilvie, is acting as the spokesman for the campaign in dealing with media inquiries. His summary of the powers associated with the proposed Mana Whakahono a Rohe agreements can be seen HERE.
Essentially Mana Whakahono a Rohe agreements (also called Iwi Participation Arrangements – the same name as the provisions they have replaced) will introduce the tribal co-governance of local authorities into New Zealand – not only without any public consultation, but also without a public referendum process of the sort reserved for major constitutional changes of this magnitude.
Please click the image to read the Letter to the Prime Minister. And if you would like to support the work of the NZCPR, we would be very grateful – please click HERE.
Tell politicians what YOU think:
If you are opposed the race-based control of local government, please tell Bill English – his email address is b.english@ministers.govt.nz or you can phone his office at Parliament on 04-817-6801 or fax at 04-817-6501. Since People Power is the only way to stop the Bill, you might like to share your views with other MPs as well.
*The email addresses of all Members of Parliament can be found HERE.
For more information:
The main way we keep readers informed about public policy developments such as these is through our free NZCPR Weekly newsletter – you can register HERE.
The NZCPR.com website contains a wealth of published information highlighting the grave concerns we hold about the Bill – a selection of the main articles can be seen here:
* National’s RMA Changes – a major constitutional victory for Iwi Leaders by Dr Muriel Newman 26 Mach 2017
* State subsidies worsen tribal favouritism by Rodney Hide 26 March 2017
* An Abomination of a Bill by Dr Muriel Newman 12 Mach 2017
* The Smith Reforms by Michael Coote 12 March 2017
* Resource Legislation Amendment Bill – Deceptive advice to National caucus by Stephen Franks 12 March 2017
* Tinkering with the RMA by Dr Muriel Newman 20 November 2016
* Bureaucrats wallowing in cultural correctness by Sir Bob Jones, 20 November 2016
* Time for Submissions on the RMA by Dr Muriel Newman, 14 February 2016
* Separatism and the Resource Management Act by Anthony Willy, 14 February 2016
* The Politics of RMA Reform by Dr Muriel Newman, 29 Nov 2015
* The surrender is almost complete by Dr Don Brash, 29 Nov 2015
All submissions on the Bill can be seen on the Parliamentary website HERE – but please remember that the submissions closed 8 months before the new Mana Whakahono a Rohe co-governance powers were introduced into the Bill.
A legal opinion on the Bill by Stephen Franks prepared for Democracy Action – also before the new agreements were included – can be seen HERE.