The purpose of this website is twofold:
- to inform Ngai Tahu shareholders, (beneficiaries) , about what has been happening in the tribe
- To provide a forum for information, discussion and debate
Suspending this website/blog but will be opening a new one, the name of which, and access to, will be here.
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When I set up this site it was early days for blogs and Word Press was not as sophisticated, intuitive or as easy to manage as it is today. So the new blog will be easier to manage.
You can still contact me on paratas(@)xtra.co.nz- just exclude the ()
This "blog" is not a daily one, like many blogs. The articles I write will be occasional and I hope considered before I publish them.
Updates: A couple of recent blogs Oct 09- see the right sidebar- Election update and what has been really happening in NT
Election of Tront Representatives Sept 2009
I have recently received changes to the Ngai Tahu Charter vis election of Tront representatives. The process has taken about three years and the cost has been about $500,000. The result is not much different from what we had before but the changes are significant because the changes devolve all power to individual Runanga who could include or exclude shareholders. A couple of Runanga have begun the the lead up to electoral process Hokonui and Oraka Aparima. So far there has been limited information about these elections or any others that might be coming.
A Bit of History
After the attempts to oust Mark Solomon in 07 – see blog – Some Tront Representatives have been replaced and a sort of calm has been restored. Anake Goodall is the new CEO. An excellent appointment. Anake is busily appointing new staff for the Office depleted by the last CEO Tahu Potiki. On the surface things might appear harmonious but there are those both on and off the Tront table seeking power. These people, in my view are not interested in the betterment of shareholders. Rather – a clique, who have held powerful positions at various levels within the current and past Ngai Tahu structures, who wish to reassert their authority- for reasons that are not altruistic .
Background
For five years now there have been various attempts to ousted the Kaiwhakahaere (Chair) of Tront – the tribal council- Mark Solomon. The group behind these coup attempts are 9 of the 18 Tront representatives who are least accountable to their electorate – but read on—- The order of posts. will in the next few days, be ordered in the most recent posts first. So if you are a late reader start at the blog start at the bottom to get a feel for the issues. Will also be posting more media reports because, as I say below, Tront management, "The Office", have control of the tribal media output.
Of course there is a diversity of views from the media, much of it not true, simply because, Tront is not being up-front about what has been happening.
If you wish to know who Ngai Tahu are go to the tribal website: www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz
Kia ora,
My name is Richard Parata and responsible for setting up this website.. In June 2006 I resigned as a Director Ngai Tahu Holdings Corporation (NTHC), the commercial arm of the tribe, along with other Directors and the Chief Executive; my six year as a Director was due to end on 31 July but I resigned in June 06 so that I could speak out. There is a little more about me and my involvement in Ngai Tahu here
I had become increasingly concerned about Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu (TRoNT)- the elected, political, tribal council and its executive office. I sat at the TRoNT table from 1991- 98 representing my marae, Kati Huirapa at Puketeraki. I was involved, with others, in developing the structure that was put in place post the tribal settlement with the government. I think I can speak with a reasonable authority about how the organisation should have operated and how it appears to have failed. Apart from Maika Mason, I am the only person to have served on both entities.
As a Director of NTHC I could not speak about my concerns. But I can now.
My aim is see better democracy and accountability in the tribe. Your views are very important on these issues. Let me know what you think.
A place to start is a summary of my views in “ Urgent Changes Needed in Ngai Tahu Representation” published in “The Press” 17 Oct 06. The article is condensed. But there are threads that I expand on. “ Ngai Tahu Democracy” and “Resignations and Implications”
The Press followed up with two other pieces on 28 Oct 06 “Solomon Hits Out at Ngai Tahu Rift” and “ Rumblings at Ngai Tahu head office”
Some people have asked why I could not resolve issues, internally, within the tribe. There are two reasons
- There is no satisfactory forum. There is the annual Hui a Tau (annual general meeting) but this attended by relatively few and you learn or can contribute little.
- The tribe has a very skilled and sophisticated communications unit initially set up with the purpose of in forming tribal members and the general public about Ngai Tahu activities; I had a direct responsibility initiating its set up. Unfortunately the skills have been captured by TRoNT executive management and used to “spin” what they think people should know.