Auckland Pride says it has a 100 per cent commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and is looking at introducing that commitment into the wording of its constitution. It was revealed last week that although the original Auckland Pride Festival Trust organisation had embracing the Treaty principles spelt out amongst its list of objects, that commitment was omitted from the deed of its successor organisation, the current Auckland Pride Festival Inc. The omission so disturbed one of the festival's multiple event creators, entertainer and producer Mika, that it caused him to announce his withdrawal from involvement with the Festival. "We're 100 per cent committed [to Treaty principles] and always have been and we always will be," Pride's Executive Officer Linda Heavey has told GayNZ.com Daily News. "It was originally in our trust deed document, it isn't in our current constitution but we're looking at putting it in so that there's no question about it. "In terms of what we have a commitment to, in terms of what we do, how we do it, who we do it with there's a 100 per cent commitment to the Treaty, no question about that and not a dissenting voice amongst the ranks." Heavey says she doesn't know why the Treaty clause didn't make it into Auckland Pride Festival Inc's deed. In many other respects it draws word for word on the constitution of the original Trust. She undertook to look into the matter by polling others involved in Pride but as of this morning there has been no explanation available. Meanwhile, Mika says this morning he is sufficiently pleased to hear that the board will restore the Treaty principle to its objectives that he will likely re-involve himself and his production group with Auckland Pride. But it particularly concerns him that “someone took it out, presumably on purpose.” The recent appointment of Shirley Allan, who he says has Maori heritage, to the Board is something he finds reassuring for the future. Update: Mika is planning to run an event of his own next year, as he has in previous years. However it will not be designed to compete with Pride, or be an alternative Pride. GayNZ.com is currently writing up the wide-ranging Friday interview with Heavey and Pride board member Paul Patton. We will publish it as soon as possible.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 29th June 2015 - 7:45am