Councillors unanimous on Ma¯ ori seat for 2022
‘Momentous’ decision ends with hugs and singing
An impromptu rendition of
Tu¯tira Mai Nga¯ Iwi to guitar rang out at Horowhenua District Council after a decision to adopt a Ma¯ori ward was passed unanimously at a meeting on Wednesday night.
Mayor of Horowhenua Bernie Wanden and councillors all stood and sang along with a packed public gallery of mostly tangata whenua representing the different iwi and hapu within the rohe.
The decision was an emotive one. There were hugs and tears once the meeting was declared closed.
Mayor Wanden said he understood there would be some within the community who didn’t agree with the decision, but it was “time to move on”.
“The sun will still rise tomorrow and it will be a brighter sun in the Horowhenua,” he said.
Mayor Wanden described the decision as “momentous”. Any councillors who might have had reservations going into the meeting about having a Ma¯ori ward had changed their minds.
Councillor Sam Jennings said the new wards were not to be seen as separatist or racist, but as a way of better representing the interests of tangata whenua.
“A Ma¯ori ward is not to be feared. We already use geographical wards,” he said.
Throughout the meeting the new seat was likened to a “marriage”, where a couple might not agree all of the time, but they listen to each other and work together for their mokopuna and the future.
Councillor Piri-Hira Tukapua said a husband wouldn’t sell off a piece of land without consulting with his wife first. Tukapua, who is in her third term as councillor, said it was a privilege to represent her constituency, but said she was voted in to represent the interests of the community at large. “Many see me as a Ma¯ori voice. I have tried to give that voice . . . I don’t have that mandate. I am not the Ma¯ori voice at this table,” she said.
“It needs its own voice, its own seat.”
Miranui ward councillor Robert Ketu said he felt like a dream had been realised. When he stood for council, he aspired to achieve cogovernance for Ma¯ori and “little did I know it would happen a year later”.
Before the decision several people made impassioned pleas as to what a designated Ma¯ori seat would mean for Ma¯ori, and gave reasons why it was needed.
Yvonne Wehipeihana-Wilson said it would give much-needed representation to tangata whenua in upholding tikanga values.
Her ancestors had fought hard for tikanga Ma¯ori to be valued and respected and a Ma¯ori ward would ensure “future generations are not treated like our tupuna were in previous generations”.
Lani Ketu said a Ma¯ori voice on council was important “because as Ma¯ori, only Ma¯ori can speak for ourselves . . . we can vote and make decisions on behalf of our people”, she said.
“Only we know the Ma¯ori world view. It is intrinsic . . . we are born with it. You might have the best advice but don’t know what we know,” she said.
Faith Henare-Stewart said she represented her wha¯ nau, her iwi, and her ancestors when she said it was concerning that “our lake is polluted, our streams are polluted, our whenua is poisoned — native trees were cut down to make this town”.
“It is our right to have representation. To deny us that shows your true intentions not to value us as Treaty partners,” she said.
“What is it your fear? The fear of giving tangata whenua a voice? This is a win-win situation.”
Others to make submissions were Charles Rudd, Sharon Humphrey, Ted Melton, Carol McDonald, Nina Hori te Pa, Catherine Manning, Tracey White and Te Kenehi Teira.
However, Rudd had concerns at how HDC could recognise the interests of mana whenua through one representative.
“All of the above looks good, sounds good, but is it all window dressing to appease the natives,” he said.
Councillor Christine Mitchell was initially concerned that adopting a Ma¯ori ward would prevent Ma¯ori voting for multiple councillors on other wards, but changed her mind after listening to submissions.
HDC’s longest serving councillor David Allan said if the ward system was the only system that guaranteed
fair community representation at council, then the same logic could be applied to a Ma¯ori ward.
“It will be good for Ma¯ori. It will be good for all of us. It will enable all of use to lift our game,” he said.
Allan said only Ma¯ori could speak for themselves. Rather than be seen as a “favour”, it was about doing the right thing.
“Let’s get serious about this partnership. We will all be richer for this partnership,” he said.
“By Ma¯ori, for Ma¯ori, with Ma¯ori.” Incredibly, there was zero support for a Ma¯ori ward the last time the issue was reviewed in 2018. HDC had sought feedback from its Iwi partners, who at that time indicated they did not support a Ma¯ori ward.
There were no public submissions on the issue at that time.
Since then there had been a complete change of mood. This time round HDC had received almost 250 individual submissions, more than three-quarters of which were in support of a Ma¯ori ward.
Those in support saw it as upholding Treaty of Waitangi obligations and a chance for Ma¯ori to have a voice on council with issues important to Ma¯ori, like waterways, whenua and wah¯ı tapu.
Opposing submissions were concerned that Ma¯ori wards were undemocratic “apartheid”, racist and would only encourage segregation and separatism.
The Local Electoral Act was amended in 2002 to enable councils to establish Ma¯ori wards with a provision where five percent of voters could sign a petition to force a binding referendum which, if successful, would overturn a decision to establish a Ma¯ori ward.
Since then, 20 councils had tried to establish Ma¯ori wards. Only three were successful, as referendums overturned those council decisions.
Several petitions sent to Parliament prompted the Government to fast-track the Local Electoral Amendment Act 2021, which was passed under urgency in February, removing the ability for binding polls.
Since then, 20 local authorities had established Ma¯ori wards — all in the North Island — while eight other councils along with HDC were scheduled to consider Ma¯ori wards before the end of the month deadline.
Interestingly, neighbouring Manawatu¯ District Council and Ka¯piti Coast District Council would not be introducing a Ma¯ori ward for the 2022 election, the latter at the request of local iwi.
Now that HDC had voted in favour of a Ma¯ori ward, it would trigger a representation review of the number of wards within its boundaries, a requirement of the Local Electoral Act to ensure effective and fair representation.
The review could look at the makeup of HDC overall, as it would decide whether to retain or increase the current number of seats at the table, whether councillors will be elected through wards, and the names of boundaries or wards.
The review could be timely as the Local Government Commission was due to release its decision on the Tokomaru Opiki Boundary Alteration Proposal this month.
Should the Tokopiki proposal be successful, it would see the Miranui ward electorate almost halve, with an estimated 1400 people of the total 3480 within the current ward forced to join Palmerston North City Council.
The new Ma¯ori seat could see more Ma¯ori join the Ma¯ori electoral roll.
Data from the Electoral Commission showed a total of 2774 enrolled on the Ma¯ori roll in the Horowhenua Regional Constituency.