Powerful iwi boss refuses to back Maori Council legal action over asset sales
Powerful iwi boss Mark Solomon refuses to back Maori Council legal action over partial asset sales.
"All it does is give the lawyers the new Mercedes every year," he said on Q+A this morning.
The Ngai Tahu chairman would prefer a negotiated agreement.
Mr Solomon disagrees with the Waitangi Tribunal’s ruling that pressing ahead with partial asset sales is a “breach” of the Treaty, saying the Crown has acknowledged Maori rights to water.
Personally, he says he is “leery” and “a bit uncomfortable” with selling shares in state assets.
Maori have proprietary rights to water as “first people” of New Zealand and deserve input into its governance and allocation, he says. He’s told the PM that “consistently”.
But Maori don’t own water by title. “That is a Pakeha concept. When I look at the concept of ownership within a Maori paradigm, I believe it’s about you have a right of use to use the fruits,” Mr Solomon says.
“We cannot stand up and ask the government to recognise our rights and interests in water by advocating the taking away of rights and interests of other people.”
The sell-down of Mighty River Power and other assets will not undermine Ngai Tahu’s water rights.
Ngai Tahu has redistributed nearly $230 million since its Treaty settlement, but the message from iwi members is that money should be spent on “a hand up, not a hand out,” the chairman says.
“We cannot cure the social ills of Maori overnight, ”but people who criticise iwi for not doing enough about Maori poverty are “ill-informed”.
Iwi should not have to become “brown welfare”.
“We are taxpayers, and we have the same right to access to Crown funding for social delivery as every other sector of society," Mr Solomon says.
Watch Mark Solomon's Q+A interview here.
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Comments and questions39
Well spoken Mr Solomon.
The lone voice of reason. Agree totally, the brown lawyers love the masses each time they make a fuss, they are probably already making showroom orders.
Kiaora mai e toa matua. A nation will be judged by how they treat their widows and their orphans. How do iwi leaders stack up.It is still a 90/10 scenario. That being a 90% of iwi having access to 10% of the wealth.
We have not come a long way since 1835. We have gone backwards a thousand years.
One of the more sensible views I have heard in a long time.
Mark Solomon is the thinking mans Maori
This man is a Solomon indeed! Such words of wisdom are sorely needed.
"We are taxpayers..."
Um, I thought the Ngai Tahu were a "charitable trust", and not treated as normal companies tax-wise? Maybe this is a bit disingenuous.
A very well-thought opinion. I certainly respect Mr Solomon's point of view.
Ngai Tahu have a charitable trust as part of their structure like many other organisations and do pay tax. Ngai Tahu are attempting to look after 40,000 members and it's far more prudent to have their asetts under a trust structure other than issuing individual members with shares via a normal company structure.
The Trust distributes funding to members in a variety of ways the most innovative being Whai Rawa a beneficary scheme which provides for housing and retirement options among other benefits. Kiwi Saver modeled its processes on the same idea.
All members of both schemes are heading towards intergenerational wealth.
Let's see how much airtime Mr Solomon gets from the media, New Zealanders.
The media in NZ is pre-occupied with negativity on a grand scale, perpetuating the perception that New Zealanders are a bunch of hopeless losers.
That perception as now become reality with your youth abandoning your country for better prospects.
All I can say to you all is - what kind of country are you condemning your children and your children's children to live in?
This is a bit rich coming from Mr Solomon - his own whanau at Ngai Tahu haven't given him a mandate to speak in this way on behalf og Ngai Tahu - they will be livid.
Mr Solomon is a hypocrite - Ngai Tahu have insisted that they are involved in all matters around water in the South Island including all the proposed irrigation schemes. Ngai tahu also insisted that they have to be consulted on all matters involved with the Christchucrh rebuild - and now every development down there is beholden to Ngai Tahu.
Mark Solomon is also about to get another big top up cheque from the Govt as the overall Treaty settlements have gone above $1Billion. Half of Ngai Tahu Holdings board members are Government promoted appointees.
Mr Solomon should be spending more time on running Ngai Tahu for Ngai Tahu members - like fixing their investment in PGG Wrightsons with Agria that is about to implode and result in potential losses.
The comment doesn't appear to be about the issue at hand it sounds like its rather a dig at Ngai Tahu. Sounds a bit bitter the commentator obviously has no idea of the political structure of Ngai Tahu.
There are 18 hapu/runanga which are individual representatives of their own takiwa/area of authority. These 18 reps elect the kaiwhakahaere (Mark Solomon) the mandates are strong and carefully monitored.
The Kaikoura elections are about to be held and you can expect to see Mark Solomon returned. Granted not all will agree but the majority has the say.
Bill you are confusing TRONT and Ngai Tahu Holdings Ltd old boy.
And I stand by my comment that Mark Solomon does not have a mandate from TRONT or Holdings to pass his personal opinion as being representative of the Ngai Tahu whanau.
Bad mistake particularly as elections are about to be held in Kaikoura and his hold on the Chair of TRONT is tenuous to say the least - he has proven once again he is commercially and politically naive .
About time Mark Solomon retired - he is yesterdays model. Maybe his mates in Govt can give him a knighthood and a few directorships??
No confusion I listed the NTHC board given this was the basis of your conversation. Your reply comments suspiciously look like they may come from someone close to the TRONT structure.
I can agree with you on the tenure of Mark as kaiwhakahaere being a long one however I am a supporter of political stability. If his runanga fail to support him it could be a blessing in disguise for the wider whanau as it will be much less disruptive for TRONT.
KIAORAMAI ETOAMATUA. I LOVE YOU ALREADY. i am a great friend of one of your kaumatua here in otahuhu. Those word are a great comeback and so true. It saddens me to see a decendant of one of the paramount leaders of the ngai-tahu allowed to walk on the streets collecting cans to make ends meet when the 10% are living as lords on the resources of their people. I would like to sit in this meeting although I am of tuhoe and barely caring for my sick wife and two children on the handouts of this govt. IF I HAD A TIME TABLE TO THIS EVENT AND WITH MY LIMITED CAPABILITIES I WILL LOVE TO SIT IN AND LISTEN AS WELL AS BRING THIS KAUMATUA HOME TO HIS PEOPLE...
The NTHC Board consists of Trevor Burt (Chair), Catherine Drayton, Sandy Maier, Quentin Hix, Tutehounuku Korako and Paul Silk.
All selected for their expertise and approved by Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu. Trevor Burt was recently reappointed.
Great article that clearly explains the "Maori water rights". Unfortunately the North Island Maori see their "water rights" as a saleable commodity.
Sounds like he had enough of other iwi taking the limelight, therefore it is his time to take the power. Hopefully it will not damage his integrity for all Maori and disrespect towards the Maori Council. Idiot.
An unfortunate comment but not as unfortunate as the advice given to Te Arikinui Kiingi Tuheitia about owning the water. Such advice takes the Maori Council out of the game as its non-negotiable. Those comments have certainly put the Kings integrity at risk.
Mr Solomon just oozed common sense and decency as a NZ citizen. Such a refreshing stance from a maori organisation ,compared to the threatening ,blackmailing bile continually dished up by the likes of the maori council,waitangi tribunal ,tainui and nga puhi.They have grown their settlement 5 fold, are very astute business folk,and in a few years will be the largest corporate dairy farmers in NZ.
A well-thought out and balanced opinion. I certainly respect Mr Solomon.
Why the accolades? We all know the lawyers to be greedy parasites.
Looks like the Pakeha like what hes saying. Hmmmmm wonder why....??
Hika to help your wondering heres why pakeha like it. Its pragmatic and about moving forward in an understanding way, not carrying issues from the past into the future. In turn this is why Ngai Tahu are so progressive.
Because most Maoris only know one thing - handouts.
Thats like saying most pakeha are greedy land thieves...
What's pragmatic about undermining the Maori Council?
Kaiwhakahaere Solomon just ceded some of his Mana to John Keys and the Crown.
On both accounts he has negatively impacted Maori.
He should know better than to discuss his personal opinion in a public national broadcast as the elected representative of Kai Tahu.
Major political stumble on his part.
Where the hell do people get the "s" from in Key?
Firstly we need to understand that the New Zealand Maori Council (NZMC) does not represent all tribal organisations.
Unfortunately after 50 years the NZMC has failed to become the astute political player they should be. They have shown ineptness by placing the issue in the hands of lawyers. This action takes it out of the hands of the NZMC.
If ever there was a possibility of one being able to cede mana then the NZMC have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Comments by Mark Solomon do not undermine the NZMC rather they offer a balanced approach to the water issue which after all is up for negotiation.
They have shown ineptness by using the court
.
Well spoken Bill, one point that has to be made, the Maori were not the first people of New Zealand, the Spanish were followed by the Morori. This of course leads to the act that no matter where you have come from to live in this fine country we must all have equal rights, so why have successive Governments been hoodwinked into pandering to all of the greedy endless Maori demands. This is nothing other than blantent racism.
'Pandering to greedy endless maori demands...' what a myopic, ignorant comment. South canterbury finance investors get in excess of $1.3 billion. Hardly a ripple. Maori ask for justice and the rule of law to be applied and rednecks like you lot get offended? Why? Dont you know your own countries history? Or are you too ashamed of what went on to admit it might have done some damage.
Your vitriol would be more plausible if you didnt hide behind 'anonymous'. And yes, those that can read do know our country's history (before it was recently 'sanitised' by Maori) which does indeed show Maori were 3rd here after at least one European country and the Mori-oris. Also states Maori were war mongering cannibals. And that the Treaty attempted to bring peace amongst the tribes. Care to rewrite that too?
Richard is a bit anonymous dont u think? Pakeha were war mongering mass murderers far more recently. Hanging, drawing n quartering vs cannibalism. Hmm which is worse. History sanitised by maori? Spain here 1st? Were they carried here on jehovahs chariot? I think your credibility is drooping.
In reply to Anonymous above, don't you know our own country's history, Maori arrived here like all other New Zealanders, they were not the first here, not that being first here holds any relevance in any case. Past generations regardless of skin colour have all suffered injustices. The injustices that you may be referring to, where performed by people that are now dead. They were against people that are now dead. This should be a dead issue. Sadley the gravey train continues and all politicians are too weak kneen to stop it, so New Zealand just continues on creating racist separatism. Maori have gone from eating those that were here before them to eating at the tax payers expense.
To Bill, thank you for your thoughtful and considered replies to our comments over the weekend. You obviously speak with some knowledge (well more than me anyway), and have contributed in a sensible way to my understanding of how this whole Treaty debacle in NZ is panning out. Unfortunately, I think the situation is going to get worse before it gets better, and we are ALL the losers for it. It is time for the (any) government to make laws without racist prejudice as has been the case for the last 15 -20 years.
Bill, to my why of thinking your writings make so much sense and you seem very knowledgeable on the subject. I admire a person that can put forward their views addressing the subject rather then attacking individuals and one who has researched his subject matter.
Your comments on this blog has gained my respect for you.
I personally think Ngai Tahu are a truly wonderful Iwi that have invested their money wisely and are a credit to maori.. They have a long term view of building wealth that will contribute greatly to in the benefits flowing onto their members. I think us pakeha could learn a lot from their wisdom and what they are achieving for their peopel.
Mr Solomon appears to have contributed a lot towards their success and they can all take pride in their achievments to date in my view. My only wish is that other iwi use Ngai Tahu's model as their template. Unfortunately this doesn't seem apparent.
IA question for Anonymous. Sir Bob Jones recently wrote an opinion on our subject matter and claimed that the maori King can not speak maori. Is this true?
Its entirely likely that he cant. The language was beaten out of the generation who may have taught him. Pakeha teachers forbade that it be spoken at school. One more element of the benign colonisers tactics.
"The wealthiest iwi in New Zealand" (>$800M) clearly stated three things last Sunday on TV1's Q+A show:
1. Ngai Tahu Inc are guided by one value only, monetary return;
2. Ngai Tahu Inc have 49,500 beneficiaries, for whom a $300 annual dividend would be 'meaningless' (WTF?) - that is, they make up much less than 1% of the Canterbury population;
3. Ngai Tahu Inc want a controlling say - which they have seized at Environment Canterbury (ECan regional council) with 14% of the unelected 'representation' - in how natural resources are managed and allocated; viz 1, are CONFLICTED.
So, Mark Solomon has proved himself "as good as the white man" at chicanery and political fraud. But the rest of us have had ENOUGH. Save Our Public Water Assets!
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