We've been doing co-governance all along, just look at the Treaty

Tuesday, 7 March 2023

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is nothing if not an instrument of co-governance for this nation, writes Helmut Karewa Modlik.

Helmut Karewa Modlik is chief executive of Ngāti Toa.

OPINION: Here we go again. Governance is concerned with high-level direction, vision, values, strategy, and accountability. It is periodic in execution and provides oversight of the more intensive work of those responsible for managing and delivery.

Governance involves people with a direct beneficial interest in the endeavour, or someone representing them, and often includes an independent or other representing key stakeholder interest. Sound governance is therefore almost always “co-governance” in the sense of involving a range of people able to strengthen the governor’s collective fulfilment of their complex responsibilities.

The current furore about Māori participation in the governance arrangements of our civil society, aka “co-governance”, is embarrassing for everyone involved. It is a reprise of racist attitudes and rhetoric that have ever given rise to systemic racism, marginalisation, impoverishment, and inequity.

Opposition leader Christopher Luxon says they'll scrap three waters if elected into Government.

* National Party leader Christopher Luxon talks three waters replacement in Hamilton

* Rob Campbell says ministers 'targeted' him after he stood up for co-governance

And why is this happening again? Low-browed, race-card, political opportunism.

The irony is, that the idea and language of co-governance came from the Crown, not Māori. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is nothing if not an instrument of co-governance for this nation. The 1867 establishment of Māori seats in Parliament, formally instituted co-governance into our highest governing body. The addition of three more Māori seats in 2008 further strengthened Parliamentary co-governance in our time.

Treaty settlements for decades have included proposals from the Crown for co-governance throughout the country of various natural resources – rivers, lakes, mountains, etc. These co-governance arrangements were proposed by the Crown as non-financial recompense for losses in lieu of Tiriti breaches, ie, we stole them, we won’t give them back, but you can join us in their co-governance. Kia ora for that.

The current cringe by conservative politicians around co-governance is nothing new and part of an “Anglo-Saxon kick back” a Samoan friend of mine predicted would come in response to the strength of Māori leaders in the current government.

If Māori politicians had not been so visible and influential in their government’s policy agenda, no-one would be saying a word about co-governance. The expectation that Māori politicians should be seen and heard, but not too much, is reminiscent of prior generations’ expectations that Māori should be kept “in their place”, like when my immigrant German father told his wharfie mates in 1955 he intended to marry a Māori woman, to which they replied; “drink with them, play rugby with them, but don’t marry them!”

It is also ironic, but not surprising, that National has led this recent lurch backwards. Conservatives by definition resist change, but honestly, are we really doing this again? National was in power when the Treaty settlement process was first set in train, and has presided over many Treaty settlements since, almost all of which include co-governance arrangements.

It was National in 2008 who entered into a confidence and supply arrangement with the brand-new Te Pāti Māori to form a coalition government committed to partnership under Te Tiriti o Waitangi – if that’s not co-governance I don’t know what is.

Ngati Toa chief executive Helmut Modlik at Porirua Harbour. (File photo)

For National now to baulk at the inclusion of co-governance provisions in the oversight framework for renewing Aotearoa’s tragically underfunded and failing water infrastructure, frankly beggars belief. It is not a policy of principle, nor logic, it is pure opposition politics, plain and simple.

To be fair, the opportunity was created by the poor job done by Labour initiating and communicating the water reform programme. This opportunity for criticism was picked up by self-serving local politicians around the country who view retention of “their assets”, ie, not their rate-paying citizens assets, as more important than enhancing people’s wellbeing and improving environmental outcomes.

Their collective focus on the co-governance aspect of the water reform is a self-serving red herring, with racist overtones, that sadly the National opposition has pandered to.

While not new, race-baiting politics it is thankfully no longer of any lasting consequence. While desperate or populist politicians still pander to the small number of racists undoubtedly among us, the majority of our community see such rhetoric for what it is, and no longer want to play that game.

More significantly, Māori people no longer need the patronage of such politicians. That day has passed because this generation of Māori have the capability, resources, opportunity, and determination to thrive, and are already pressing ahead “rowing their own waka” to achieve aspirations of living with enhanced wellbeing, prosperity, and mana.

The journey will be long and hard, because the changes needed are many and difficult, but they are underway and will continue to happen, with or without our fair-weather friends.

Co-governance is not separatism, its smart and our constitutional foundation. Co-governance is not a problem to be debated, it is the answer to the problem, and has been since February 6, 1840, and even though some people are still wringing their hands about it, that horse has bolted.

Hold tight and enjoy the ride and view.