Problem
In early 2019 our MPs will vote on a new law, the Ngai Tahu Representation Bill which will allow Ngai Tahu to appoint two Councillors onto Canterbury Regional Council.

The two Appointees will sit and vote alongside the 14 elected Councillors. As such, members of Ngai Tahu will be represented by the Councillors they voted for as well as the Ngai Tahu Appointees.

What’s wrong with the Bill?
• It is profoundly undemocratic
the ordinary folk of Canterbury will be governed by people they didn’t vote for, nor will they be able to sack them for making bad decisions, laziness or abuse of power

• It puts our environment at risk
Ngai Tahu owns farms, forestry and aquaculture businesses which are regulated by Environment Canterbury - this introduces an inherent conflict between the Appointees’ duty to safeguard the environment and promoting Ngai Tahu’s commercial interests

• It breaches fundamental human rights
The Bill denies the ordinary folk of Canterbury the fundamental right to freedom from discrimination on the grounds of race, in breach of New Zealand law and our international obligations

• it ignores the fact that most Ngai Tahu members are overwhelmingly of European or other ancestry and it contributes to a growing Maori Aristocracy, where New Zealanders with Maori ancestry have separate and distinct political and legal rights

• it creates a precedent for iwi to appoint their people onto every other Regional Council in New Zealand

Solution - It's simple, Canterbury Regional Council can end this nonsense by withdrawing it support for the Bill.

Please join our call for democracy by signing and sharing our petition:

PETITION IN THE NAME OF HOBSON'S PLEDGE TRUST

The Canterbury Regional Council (Ngai Tahu Representation) Bill is profoundly undemocratic, it puts our environment at risk, and breaches the fundamental human right of the people of Canterbury without Ngai Tahu ancestors to be free from discrimination on the grounds of race.

As such we, the undersigned, petition Environment Canterbury to notify the Speaker of Parliament that Environment Canterbury withdraws the Bill pursuant to Parliamentary Standing Order 275.