By ‘virtue’ of legislation passed this past week, four of Hawke’s Bay’s councils must reconsider their decisions to create Māori wards.
The new law, opposed by HB council leaders, requires councils who created Māori wards after 2021 without conducting public polls to either rescind those decisions or have them confirmed (or not) via binding referenda to be conducted in the October 2025 local body elections.
BayBuzz would like to hear your views.
HDC is standing by its previous decision (having elected two Māori councillors from its new Māori ward in 2022) and will conduct a referendum.
NCC had decided to add Māori wards beginning with the 2025 election, but will also now need to first put the issue to referendum in 2025, unless it decides to rescind its earlier decision at a meeting on 5 September.
HBRC elected Māori councillors from two new Māori constituencies in 2022 and, assuming they wish to continue those, will need to conduct a referendum in 2025 to approve. HBRC is presently seeking input through its Māori Committee, and will officially decide its course on 28 August.
CHBDC, in November 2023, voted in favour of Māori wards for the 2025 and 2028 local elections. That decision will need to be either rescinded by council or ratified by binding referendum in October 2025.
Wairoa had Māori wards pre-2021 and is unaffected by the new law.
Heaps of passion around this situation. With much more to come.
But as of today, where do you stand on Māori seats on our local councils?
The requirement for referenda on Māori wards is racist. We don’t require them for other wards. It’s part of wider government action against Maori. It’s divisive, deeply concerning and a distraction from taking action in areas that count -eg climate crisis.
As a ratepayer I am angry my rates must be used for this. Our councils need to take a stand and tell government to get out of their kitchens.
Maori wards are a constitutional change which is why Helen Clarke put in the referendum requirement when she introduced them.
The 2020 Labour government changed the law with no mandate
This government sought a mandate and got it
It is now up to all the ratepayers to decide whether we have Maori Wards or not.
It’s called democracy
Rural wards are democratic??
Act and NZ First campaigned on Māori wards – they only represent around 15% of votes won. That is not a mandate. Especially considering the submissions period on the bill was 5 days. Most submission periods are at least 6 weeks. Even Local Government NZ has come out saying there shouldn’t be referenda on Māori wards when no other ward decision needs to go to referenda also.
TPM got about 2.5% – that’s less than required for a party vote seat under MMP, yet you seem to regard that as valid. Also a majority of the local populace petitioned against Maori Wards, but the Council reportedly discounted all that didn’t present in person. That’s democracy? I don’t think so.
Its imperative that Maori wards are maintained. Historically Maori have had little or no voice around the table and in the decision making process.
Over time they have lost faith in their council and/or processes to be there. We need to ensure that Maori become active participants in their local communities, councils and boards and this is one way for this to occur. I hope the councils take a stand and tell central government to “…stay in their lane”. Its such a waste of time and money and this country has bigger issues to contend with. Mauri ora.
Maori need a seat at the table
I say Yes to Maori seats
I say leave it to the peoples that pay -out. All eligible voters!
Maori Wards are racist by definition. The Treaty of Waitangi guarantees all the citizens of New Zealand equal rights and representation. Democracy by definition means that one race should not have preference. In Napier, HB and NZ there is a massive amalgam of races, great. To go down the path of one race having special rights is not the way to a successful ,prosperous, integrated, harmonious future.
The treaty doesn’t say that
It’s not a good idea to politicise councils, we all have different needs, as a farmer I need roads and basic infrastructure and at present it is all going backwards. I believe social problems are an issue for central Government.
The big issue is councils are simply un fundable by present rates and will be forced to downsize , thats if regional councils even survive, to which I voting yes remove them.
Then let’s remove the rural wards as well.
Just as rural wards guarantee that the concerns of rural communities are heard around the council table, so Māori wards ensure Māori voices and perspectives are similarly part of local decision-making. So this is all about equity. I believe that racism is behind the opposition to Māori wards and that the requirement to hold a referendum in 2025 is deeply unjust given this same requirement does not apply in relation to rural wards for example. So in a sense Māori wards are a poor substitute for our failure as a nation to honour what Māori were promised under te Tiriti o Waitangi. Had the rights of Māori actually been honoured as promised under te Tiriti , then we would not be facing the question of whether there should be Māori wards at all!
Well said Marilyn, I agree, a substitute for the failure of the Crown; that concept puts it more in perspective. And formalises my intuitive understanding on what is fair to Maori.
Thank you
Totally credible argument against this illogical contradictory policy ..it appears the democracy pillar only applies when Maori a involved aka ACT party policy
Local Government should be standing up against the Governments decision. HB council should refuse to hold a referendum and should go ahead with the decision they had already made to instil Māori seats. Stand up against the Governments decision.
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?