http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/ Research Commons at the University of Waikato Copyright Statement: The digital copy of this thesis is protected by the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand). The thesis may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the Act and the following conditions of use: Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person. Authors control the copyright of their thesis. You will recognise the author’s right to be identified as the author of the thesis, and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate. You will obtain the author’s permission before publishing any material from the thesis. Te Toi Poto, Te Toi Roa A Critical Evaluation of Māori -State Inclusion in the Ohiwa Harbour Strategy, Aotearoa New Zealand. A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Sciences at The University of Waikato by Amanda Lowry 2012 i ABSTRACT In New Zealand, the State Owned Enterprises Act 1988 [SOE], Local Government Act 2002 [LGA], the Resource Management Act 1991 [R MA] require that government include the voices of Māori, and ensure their contribution to the decision-making processes of local authorities. Accordingly, central and local government have embraced the idea of inclusive partnership as part of policymaking processes informed by shared values both of government and iwi. Thus, it is not uncommon to see consultations, partnerships and engagement between M āori-state on a range of issues in line with Tikanga and protocols of Māori culture. These transitions reflect contemporary critical policy scholarship that underscores the need to include marginalised voices policymaking, specifically through processes that reflect diverse values. Termed here as ‘procedural inclusion’, these efforts are framed within the wider goal of participatory democracy as part of the efforts to realise an inclusive society. The present research is a critical evaluation of the inclusion of Māori in the processes of policymaking, especially when those processes have been especially designed to be culturally sensitive. This core objective is developed through the analysis of the case study of iwi/hapū -local government engagement in creating and implementing the Ohiwa Harbour Strategy in New Zealand’s Eastern Bay of Plenty region between 2002 - 2008. The strategy engagement, which culminated in a long-term plan to manage and conserve the Ohiwa harbour, is uniquely positioned for this investigation. It is often regarded by its iwi/hapū and local government stakeholders as a success story in iwi/hapū -government engagement. Using a critical qualitative research ii methodology informed b y kaupapa Māori, the study sought to critically evaluate this exemplar of procedural inclusion at multiple levels. At an operational policy level, the research identified the factors that either facilitated or inhibited Māori inclusion in the strategy development process. At another, more substantive level, the study explored the politics of this engagement, and if the goals of procedural inclusion could accommodate the transformative claims of self-determination and kaitiakitanga made by iwi/hapū . The analysis of interview data with key stakeholders and documents of the strategy process revealed that a range of factors enhance inclusive policymaking for Māori. At a practical level, legislative frameworks, commitment to Tikanga by all parties, and key strategic cultural brokers facilitated the inclusion of M āori, while limited capacity, fear of change and inter-tribal tensions hinder inclusion. The results also show, at another level, that the ability to productively participate in these engagement processes are framed by discursive politics – of the meanings and interpretations emanating from historical contexts, nature of power relationships, and of decisions regarding who represents whom and what is represented. In all, the study points to both advantages and limitations of procedural inclusion. Inclusive policymaking can open possibilities for better management of environmental resources, strengthening M āori political voice, and creating opportunities for livelihoods and with it greater economic and social inclusion. Equally, there are also limits of government-sponsored engagement. Māori inclusion in policymaking, while positive, does not deliver opportunities for self-determination or rangatiratanga in keeping with the Treaty principles of partnership. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS What a journey this thesis has been. To m y whānau, Gemma and Lola Gee you have been my rock. To those that have personally supported me and helped me and dragged me out kiting when I needed it most, I cannot thank you enough. To my supervisors, Rachel Simon-Kumar and Sandy Morrison, both powerful feminist academic women, you have given me something to aspire to and I hope that this mahi gives you a sense of pride. Thanks to Dr Rangi Matamua for the Māori translation in the title. This thesis was completed with the support of the Masters Scholarship awarded under the Marsden Fast-Start Grant No. UOW0805 (Engaging Women and Migrants in Ne w Zealand’s Public Policy), The Royal Society of New Zealand. Thanks to the organisations - The University of Waikato, The Faculty of Social Sciences that supported this research through scholarships. Special thanks go to the research participants who have allowed me a window to their worlds in the experiences that you shared with me. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................ v LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................ x LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................. x Prologue ................................................................................................................. xi THE BEGINNING............................................................................................. xi Chapter One ............................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1 Conceptual Context ......................................................................................... 3 Procedural Inclusion........................................................................................ 3 Critical Political Literature .............................................................................. 5 Indigeneity....................................................................................................... 5 The New Zealand Context .............................................................................. 7 Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi .................................................. 7 Ideological and Political Shifts ....................................................................... 9 Māori -State Relations: The LGA 2002 and the RMA 1991 ......................... 11 The Present Study ......................................................................................... 14 Overall Aim of the Research ......................................................................... 14 Chapter Two .......................................................................................................... 17 PROCEDURAL INCLUSION IN POLICY: A THEORETICAL OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................... 17 Inclusion and Exclusion ................................................................................ 17 Procedural Inclusion’s General Characteristics ............................................ 21 Feminist Scholarship and Procedural Inclusion ............................................ 23 Implementation of Procedural Inclusion ....................................................... 27 v Inclusion and Indigeneity .............................................................................. 30 Indigenous Voices in the Management of Environmental Resources .......... 35 Common Critiques of Procedural Inclusion .................................................. 36 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 39 Chapter Three ........................................................................................................ 40 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................ 40 A Critical Qualitative Research Approach .................................................... 41 Case Study Approach .................................................................................... 41 Kaupapa Approach ........................................................................................ 42 Interpretive Interactionism and Critical Feminist Approaches ..................... 43 Issues of Reflexivity ...................................................................................... 45 Data Collection: Documents and Interviews................................................