Not surprisingly, our BayBuzz poll on Māori wards has generated comments of all persuasions. Here’s where you can still take the BayBuzz poll.
Here’s a selection of responder comments. No doubt there’s a view below with which you agree … or strongly disagree!
“All levels of government have a responsibility to honour Te Tiriti and champion Māori voice. Māori wards create a space for diversity of both person and thought that is sorely lacking around most Council tables.”
“If the candidate is good enough to get voted in it shouldn’t matter if they are of Māori descent or not. The candidates should be out there in the news and on the street to get people to vote.”
“All councillors need to be able to represent all people. If you split councillors up by group identity, how does that define who they are? Where do you stop. Do we need a council position for an immigrant, a young person, Pasifica, disabled, etc.”
“Rural communities get separate wards from urban wards, and all wards ate built around different communities to ensure that they represent the unique characteristics of the people who live inside the boundary. Maori wards are just a continuum of these well accepted principles so why do they need to be subject to extra requirements that no other wards are subject to, such as a requirement to win 50%+ in a referendum. That’s just discriminatory.”
“I believe it is important to facilitate alternative viewpoints that a majority based democratic process doesn’t necessarily allow.”
“The requirement for referenda is divisive and racist. There is no requirement for referenda on other wards and whether we should have them. This is targeting Māori only.”
“It’s not a perfect solution for Māori (our govt system reflects an imported, European way of doing things), but it reflects our Treaty partnership more fairly and is a logical progression from the Māori seat system in central govt.”
“We don’t have Pakeha wards. Anyone can stand for council, Māori or any other race so there is no reason to make councils racist as Māori wards do.”
“Just as we have rural wards we want all aspects of our community to be represented and to have a voice, having Maori wards will engage more Maori in local body matters. Don’t forget that regardless if you serve on the general or maori or rural wards each person must take an oath to serve its community.”
“They can stand and vote in all the wards. That is democracy. Maori wards are separatist and racist.”
“The requirement to hold referenda is straight out racism from ACT and craven kupapa behaviour from NZ First. If the government is so interested in democracy, how about putting every law they propose to referenda?”
“Te Tiriti o Waitangi promised tangata whenua protection, partnership and participation. Māori are in the minority, demographically speaking, and as such need their rights actively protected and voices heard in order to honour the treaty.”
“We need to move forward as a multicultural society and not become divided by race. Council is elected to act in the best interests of all citizens.”
“This has already been debated and decided on. Why should it have to be done all over again?”
If you haven’t already, here’s where you can still take the BayBuzz poll.
Real issue here is that council members are elected by popular vote.
Māori board members are not elected by their community.
How do the public get to know the skill sets that Maori Ward councilmen bring to the council ?
It’s critical that council have the most competent councilman.
Having been there. You’re 100% right on the button!
They say that racism is a symptom of ignorance. This is a product of our inadequate education on NZ’s history. When Napier has had 193 councillors, and only 3 have been Maori, this is not a fair representation. Saying that Maori can step up shows that people still do not understand the marginalisation effect on Maori.
It is not as if it costs us pakeha anything.
Couldn’t agree more, Leonie.
We have proportional representation in central government, so would it not be more equitable to parallel it in local government as more socially inclusive than the dated first past the post selection that can leave up to fifty percent of the population unrepresented.
Marginalisation effect on Maori?
You sure know how to instill confidence in themselves, Not.
My wife happens to have some Maori blood running through her veins. Matter of fact, her first language is Maori.
She has never felt marginalized.
And like the vast majority of part Maori peoples take exception to the likes of yourself making assertions on their behalf!
More especially, when they are more than capable of doing that, if needed? Themselves.