Tukoroirangi Morgan has labelled Auckland mayor Wayne Brown's alternative plan to tackle the Three Waters reform issue as ignorant and snubbing the Māori worldview.
"He kuare rawa atu ērā whakarite i te mea kāorekau tātou i runga anō i te tēpu."
(It's an ignorant plan because we have not been included in the discussions.)
Morgan will be the chair of the inaugural northern Three Waters iwi body that will act for 45 hapū and iwi across Northland, Auckland and Waikato across at least four regional bodies including Auckland Council.
He says at a recent hui in Taupō, 36 representatives from across the country voiced their support for the water reforms being pushed by the government and Local Government Minister, Nanaia Mahuta.
"E mea mai te Minita kei te anga whakamua ahakoa ngā rūpahu, ngā horihori a te koromatua o Tāmaki Makaurau."
(The minister has said we will continue to make progress despite the inaccuracies being put forward by the Auckland mayor.)
Only choice
He says the proposed legislation as it stands is the only way to ensure Māori are guaranteed a voice in the decision-making process for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater reforms.
"Koinā te rerekētanga o to tātou hōtaka ki tā te huarahi e kōrerohia ana e te koromatua o Tāmaki. E whai mana ana tātou ki runga i te tēpu. Ka mutu ahakoa te aha, ki roto i a Tāmaki, ki Te Tai Tokerau koirā te mate o ngā kaunihera. Kāore rātou i te warea ki o tātou marae, ki te kawewai ki roto i o tātou marae hei inu mā rātou, hei whakamahi mō te oranga o te iwi, o ngā hapū, o ngā whānau te take."
(That is the difference between what we have proposed and what the mayor is proposing. We have a position at the table. What's more, wherever you look from Auckland to Northland, that is what the issue is at each council. Our marae don't get looked after, their water supply systems are not fit for our iwi, hapū and whānau.)
Teaomāori.news has approached Brown's office for comment.
