What is Co-Governance?
Jamie Strange - MP for Hamilton East
By Jamie Strange - MP for Hamilton East
Co-governance is currently a topic of discussion, as policies such as Three Waters and the Maori Health Authority work their way through Parliament. The current proposal is for both these entities to have a partnership model.
Co-governance is an arrangement for negotiated decision-making between iwi and other groups such as central government, with a particular focus on areas relating to natural resources. Some co-governance arrangements are mandated in law through Treaty of Waitangi settlements and may take a variety of forms including statutory bodies or trusts.
Co-governance is not new to New Zealand, it’s a model currently being used by environmental entities such as the Waikato River Authority and Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust. Both these organisations have had strong success in the environment sector, as we looked to help restore the health of our natural environment. The cogovernance model has worked well in these entities.
The Waikato River Authority was established in 2010, under the previous National-led government. Arrangements between the Crown and iwi ushered in a new era of Crown-iwi co-management of the Waikato River catchment. Co-management provided iwi with mechanisms to manage the rivers in the catchment in partnership with central and local government, with appointed representatives from these entities.
Former Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson has said that co-governance is not race-based, but Treaty based, which means our local iwi partners can nominate the best people they see fit for the job.
It is a priority of the current Labour Government to build closer relationships with Maaori. The Labour Party also worked with both the Greens and New Zealand First to help work towards this goal when elected in 2017.
We are working with our treaty partners. This is not favouritism but recognition of the role of tangata whenua in our society and once again we have seen the success of this approach with the likes of the Waikato River Authority.
The Government of the day has a responsibility to the Treaty of Waitangi around policy discussions and so communicating this to the public and explain it to the people and why we do it.
Legislation for both the Maaori Health Authority and Three Waters will be brought to the House of Parliament soon, and members of the public will have the opportunity to make submissions on these Bills.