Ma¯ori voice guaranteed seat

Palmerston North Ma¯ori will be guaranteed one or two seats on the city council from next year, and this time, there is nothing opponents can do about it.

The council decided by an 11-5 vote at its monthly meeting this week to take advantage of the recently-enacted Local Electoral Ma¯ori Wards and Ma¯ori Constituencies Amendment Act that removes the ability of 5 per cent of voters to demand a binding poll on the subject.

The council’s earlier decision in 2017 was overturned by a poll, preventing it from having Ma¯ori wards for the 2022 and 2025 elections.

The new legislation releases it from being bound by that poll result.

The resolution to introduce Ma¯ori wards this week was led by deputy mayor Aleisha Rutherford, who fronted the campaign last time, and Cr Lorna Johnson. Rutherford said she had been proud of earlier efforts to create wards and stand against ‘‘the out-of-town rent a crowd’’ that had circulated the petition that forced the poll.

She was referring to visits to Palmerston North by Hobson’s Choice leader Don Brash.

She said the decision to create Ma¯ori wards honoured the council’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, reflected the partnership with tangata whenua, and respected the wishes of mana whenua. ‘‘We have a fantastic relationship with local iwi and have already benefited from the contributions of Rangita¯ne at committee, as appointed members share their knowledge and expertise in tikanga Ma¯ori.

‘‘This decision gives those on the Ma¯ori roll an opportunity to vote for their representation at the next two local body elections.’’

Johnson said it was time to right a wrong, and ensure the city’s 18 per cent population of Ma¯ori had a guaranteed voice at the council table.

Cr Renee Dingwall said she had been disturbed by ‘‘that dodgy racist poll’’, and had been incensed by the racist comments it had encouraged.

She said the council had already decided in favour of Ma¯ori wards, and now had the power to act.

‘‘Ma¯ori have waited long enough.’’

The decision was, however, far from unanimous, with councillors Susan Baty, Leonie Hapeta, Lew Findlay, Billy Meehan and Bruno Petrenas voting against it.

Baty said the problem with Ma¯ori wards was that they prevented people on the Ma¯ori roll from influencing who was elected to the council outside their own ward.

She said it diluted their voting power, and was tokenism.

What happens next will be a representation review looking at Palmerston North’s overall approach to electing councillors including the structure of wards, the number of councillors, the names of the wards and whether community boards should be established.

The representation review consultation is expected to take place in August.