Seats over 20,000 sq km
November 18th, 2008 at 4:09 pm by David FarrarOne of the smaller items in the agreement with the Maori Party was the agreement to fund a third out of parliament staff member for the seven Maori seats and any general seat over 20,000 sq kms.
I wondered what seats would qualify, and Homepaddock has the answers:
- Te Tai Tonga – 161,443
- Clutha-Southland – 38,247
- West Coast-Tasman – 38,042
- Te Tai Hauauru – 35,825
- Waitaki – 34,888
- Ikaroa-Rawhiti – 30.952
- Kaikoura – 23,706
So only three of the seven Maori seats are over 20,000 kms. Next we have
- Waiariki – 19,212
- Te Tai Tokerau – 16,370
- East Coast 13,649
- Taranaki-King Country 12,869
- Hauraki-Waikato – 12,580
You could cut the line at 15,000 but if Hauraki-Waikato gets a third staffer, shouldn’t East Coast and TKC?
And then we have the seventh Maori seats – Tamaki Makauru at 730 sq kms. There are a further 21 general seats between Tamaki Makauru and Hauraki-Waikato.
To be fair to all large seats, the agreement should be modified to be either:
- Only three of the Maori seats and four general seats over 20,000 sq km
- Five Maori seats, and four general seats over 15,000 sq km
- Six Maori seats and six general seats over 12,500 sq km
- All seven Maori seats and 27 general seats over 730 sq km
It is hard to justify a third staffer for Tamaki Makauru, when it is so much smaller than the other Maori seats.
Related posts:
- Labour looking to hold their Maori seats according to Maori TV/TNS
- The Maori Seats
- Maori Seats in Waikato
- Maori Seats Poll
November 18th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
What a joke. If the Members were really not able to do their jobs due to the size of their electorates then this should be the sole qualification for more staff. I cannot see any reason why a Maori MP should have more staff than someone with a larger electorate based solely on being a Maori MP. Racism is disgusting, I cannot believe John Key allowed this.
Vote:November 18th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
You’re right, if the justification for extra staff is the area of the electorate then if Tamaki Makauru qualifies the general seats which are bigger than it should too.
They could no doubt justify the need for an extra staff member, but given the need to save tax payers’ money it might be better to have an extra part time staffer for the seats from 730 sq kms up to 15,000 or 20,000 and a full timer for those over 20,000.
It’s not clear from the announcement whether the extra funding is just for wages or whether it would include office, phone etc. but it would make sense for the additional staff member to be have a different base.
Vote:November 18th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Fancy that, Maori wanting more funding.
Vote:November 18th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I agree with David.
Vote:November 18th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
I do understand that National is playing a long game here, but they should be looking past the ‘wise old granny’ Tariana, and the ‘dignified elder statesman’ Pita. These two have come up through marae politics, a very tough and sometimes nasty political breeding ground, and through the radical Maori sovereignty movement. The Maori Party have an agenda, and they will make themselves look like whatever it takes to get there. They have smart, driven, radical people such as Prof Whatarangi Winiata advising them. They are playing their own long game. National should not be fooled.
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