Maori devolution "bound to fail’
Political reporter The Opposition spokesman on Maori affairs, Mr Winston Peters, said the Government’s devolution policy for Maoris was now under “real threat.” This documentation proved that the Government was having second thoughts over devolution and its whole Maori Affairs policy, he said.
It constituted a major reverse for the Minister of Maori Affairs, Mr Wetere, and showed the extent to which he was no longer in control of his portfolio.
“The Government has deceived Maoridom with .this backdown,” Mr Peters said. “Devolution
was promised, but it was woefully planned, managed and executed.” Devlution had always been bound to fail. There had never been the administrative skills and resources in Mana and Maori Access for devolution to succeed.
Since 1985, no fewer than seven different persons had been responsible for Mana, and with that kind of instability it had always been destined to fail Maoridom. Maori trust boards and other tribal authorities would feel betrayed by this backdown, Mr Peters said. Devolution had been strucutred to fail and Maoris had never had a chance.
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Press, 19 February 1988, Page 6
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179Maori devolution "bound to fail’ Press, 19 February 1988, Page 6
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