The process is easy, thanks to Government legislation on Māori wards.
First, require separate referenda on Māori seats in CHB, Hastings, Napier … AND a fourth for the entire region for HBRC. Hmmm … keep in mind, we each get to vote twice.
Second, count the votes. And let’s say, just hypothetically, these are the results:
- CHB: 55% for, 45% against
- Hastings: 58% for, 42% against
- Napier: 45% for, 55% against
- HBRC: 55% for, 45% against
Third, announce the resulting citizenship status of HB Māori.
Māori living in CHB and Hastings are confirmed full, dual citizens – that is, those living in those two districts have equal political standing with each other (so no dissing each other), AND also when they seek representation before the HB Regional Council. Just like their Pākehā neighbours.
With this hypothetical outcome Māori living in Napier are politically inferior to those living elsewhere in the region and suck eggs when it comes to NCC affairs. BUT they do have equal standing before the Regional Council. Let’s call them 2nd Class citizens.
Maybe some will tire of being dissed as 2nd Class by the rest of HB and become political refugees, seeking asylum in Hastings, CHB or Wairoa*. Are there Trumpian walls in our future, barring these unfortunates from escaping Napier (most of whom are probably criminals anyway)?
[Or, does the majority support across the entire region (the HBRC referendum outcome) trump the recalcitrant Napier result? And here’s a thought that begins to slightly border on rationality, would those relishing a referendum on Māori seats (starting with the Government) accept the results of a single regional referendum for HB?]
Fourth, learn to live with the utter stupidity and injustice of potentially different outcomes.
*Wairoa gets a free pass in all this, as they had Māori seats before the legislated trigger date for referenda. Unless of course the HBRC referendum votes against Māori seats, in which Wairoa Māori must stay home and be neglected officially by the Regional Council.
A very emotively written piece. Why are so many people scared of democracy? The problem arises when people in positions of power seek to force the community to congorm to the cultural norms of others, or to substitute primitive notions for scientific rigour which should inform decidion- making in modern society.
It has taken more than 6 centuries for he common man to win universal suffrage – something that was achieved only very recently. The history of democracy seems to have been overlooked by many Councilors in favor of their own sense of entitlement. NZ is devolving into an apartheid country.
Personally I see nothing wrong with Maori Wards. Personally I think the referendum is nothing but a Central Government intrusion into local affairs and should be cancelled by all Local authorities under advice to Central that Local will not action it due to it being something not required for local decision-making. Personally, if it goes ahead, I will be voting to retain Maori Wards (I’m Pakeha – have Maori, Island, Asian in my extended family and have no objections to inclusiveness – rather I consider it to be a huge benefit to the country)
It’s divisive and racist. Why do we even have wards? When you’re in council, you make decisions for the whole district, not just your ward. We should for the whole district at large. How does hundreds of votes beat thousands of votes? Maori candidates got voted in on their own merit, ie Henare O’Keefe, Bayden Barber and Henry Heke just to name a few. We need more Maori to get involved in local politics and less wards. They may get more votes if they’re in the general ward. All councilors need to represent all the people of the district, not just a few. We shouldn’t see colour of skin, but content of character but I understand tangata whenua. But unfortunately it’s become militant and ugly. And it may be too late. The government have opened up a can of worms in front of us (of division and lies) and they’re slithering out into the community. The problem is people can’t vote for who they want to because they live in a different ward or on a different Electoral roll. It’s weird and backwards. I agree with Sax, welcome to apartheid.
Who wrote this article? Hiding behind a none de plume seems somewhat cowardly (unlike the comments below)