Poll indicates HB support for Māori seats on councils

As BayBuzz has reported, several of our HB councils who have approved dedicated Māori seats will be forced – unhappily – by a new Government policy to reconsider their actions.

If they ‘stay the course’, they must have their decision endorsed by referendum in the October 2025 local body elections.

The Napier, Hastings, CHB and Regional Councils are on that course. HDC makes its final official decision on 27 August, HBRC on 28 August, NCC and CHBDC on 5 September.

Wairoa had Māori seats before the newly-legislated trigger date and is unaffected by the new policy. One less headache for beleaguered Wairoa.

We can expect much debate on this issue over the next fourteen months, but BayBuzz wanted an early ‘taking of the pulse’ to benchmark where views stand today, and so has conducted an online poll over the last two weeks. Nearly 400 people responded from the BayBuzz audience, which we like to think is relatively calm and thoughtful and inclined to engage around issues as they see fit. 

Last week we reported a representative selection of comments from respondents and they covered the waterfront, as the numbers below would predict.

With the survey now closed, here are the numerical results to this question:

Three HB councils presently have dedicated Māori seats. a fourth has voted to do so. The fifth is considering the issue. Do you believe your district council, and the Regional Council, should have dedicated Māori seats?

Amongst all respondents (86% voting in Hastings and Napier), 57% say Yes to Māori seats, 40% No, only 3% Undecided.

Amongst those voting in the Hastings District, 57% say Yes, 40% No.

Amongst those voting in Napier, 55% say Yes, 44% No.

Only 10% of our respondents vote on the Māori roll, and 92% say Yes to Māori seats.

On the general roll, 54% say Yes, 44% say No.

So, unless there were any doubt, the issue is divisive … and people seem to have their minds made up. There will be a heap of debate ahead, obviously becoming most intense when we get into the August-October election window next year. Who knows how it might move the needle.

Whatever their views, we should expect candidates and our local MPs to provide leadership on an important social and political issue like this. Some will. Some will duck behind … let the people decide.

To get the ball rolling, here’s what Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says:

“It is heartening to see that Hastings residents positively support retaining our Takitimu Maori Ward. In May, our Council unanimously voted to retain our Māori Ward. 

“I proudly supported introducing a Maori Ward in 2021, and have seen first-hand the positive impact the Takitimu Maori ward councillors have made across a range of initiatives for a stronger, healthier and more unified community. It has added a new dimension to our relationship with mana whenua and embraced our collective values of ‘Unity in Our Diversity’. 

“There is misinformation across New Zealand – that a ward somehow ‘advantages’ one group over another. It is critical that people understand that having a Māori Ward does not change the ‘one person, one vote’ principle that underpins our democracy. If you enrol and vote through the Māori roll, you cannot vote through the General Roll – and vice versa.

“It really is no different to having our Rural Ward which ensures our rural constituents have a seat at our Council table, and I and sure our residents understand and appreciate the value of both wards.”

From Mayor Alex Walker:

“I think the change is ridiculous and divisive. Councillors hold the responsibility of decisions on all representation arrangements after dialogue with their community – voting systems, numbers of councillors, wards or at-large structures, and whether we have community boards. That is the local democratic process. 

“For an additional hurdle, of a referendum, to be added only for the representation requirements of our voters enrolled on the Māori roll is unfair. Māori ward structures do not remove any rights or powers or representation for those on the general electoral roll but adding a referendum gives those on the general roll the unfair power to decide for a minority population. Would we let our bigger urban environments out-vote a request from our rural areas for a community board or a ward structure to ensure their minority population voice is heard. No.”

Mayor Kirsten Wise recently wrote this column in BayBuzz making the case for Māori seats, concluding:

“Māori wards will bring a stronger bi-cultural perspective to our planning and decision making. This upholds the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi as Aotearoa New Zealand’s founding document. I believe Māori wards will reinforce Napier City Council’s commitment to work in partnership. It will add power and mana to the Council and create new forms of Māori representation…” 

And HBRC Chair Hinewai Ormsby: “Although based on a relatively small sample, these results are promising for maintaining Māori constituencies for Te Matau a Māui and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. 

“In 2021, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council unanimously decided to establish two Māori constituencies—Māui ki te tonga and Māui ki te raki—divided by the Ngaruroro River into Northern and Southern constituencies.

“Our Council has greatly valued the depth and strength of discussion and decision-making provided by our Māori seat Councillors at the Council table.”