Govt support is needed on wards
Ward campaigner to speak in city this weekend
The Government is failing Northland councils that have courageously voted for Ma¯ori wards. That is according to national Ma¯ori wards campaigner Andrew Judd who will be speaking in Whanga¯rei tonight and tomorrow.
Northland’s leading the way among a record nine councils nationally that have this year voted in favour of Ma¯ori wards.
Kaipara and Whanga¯rei District councils along with Northland Regional Council (NRC) have all in the past month for the first time voted for Ma¯ori wards (district councils) or constituencies (regional council).
“The Government should be putting its money where its mouth is,” Judd, a former mayor of New Plymouth, said.
“It should have already taken action to support these councils achieve Ma¯ori wards.”
The right of 5 per cent of electors to demand a poll over the councils’ decisions is at the crux of what needs to be immediately addressed, he said.
“Polling fuels hatred and division.” He was mayor when his council in 2015 voted for a Ma¯ori ward, but a binding citizen-initiated poll overturned this in an acrimonious debate with a vote of 83 per cent against. Judd became a pro-wards campaigner.
Five per cent of electors can demand a poll of councils’ decisions in favour of the wards.
The Government has signalled it’s looking at removing this option from the Local Electoral Act – but the changes won’t be in place until the 2022 local government elections.
New Zealand’s biggest polling demand campaign is gathering momentum in Northland.
Former NRC councillor John Bain is spearheading the campaign across the three Northland councils that have voted for Ma¯ori wards.
NRC’s calling on the Government to put a polling moratorium in place.
Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta would not be drawn on whether a moratorium would happen.
A spokesperson for Mahuta said a solution to the issue of the polling threat facing the nine councils that have this year decided in favour of Ma¯ori wards was being worked on.
Officials were putting together a range of options for consideration.
A solution was expected to be ready in January.
Judd will speak at two public meetings in Whanga¯rei – tonight at Saint John’s co-operating golden church in Kensington at 6pm and on Saturday, at Saint Stephens Anglican church in Onerahi at 10.30am.
He said his public meetings were for all Northlanders, those for and against Ma¯ori wards.
Judd said he was initially against the wards, but that had changed. Those at the meetings could hear about why the change had happened.
“I used to be against Ma¯ori wards but changed my mind during my time as mayor of New Plymouth.”
The Government has widely encouraged councils into Ma¯ori wards. Local Government New Zealand, the sector group representing the country’s 78 councils, has also come out in their favour via a joint councils’ formal joint official remit on the topic.
The nine councils that voted for Ma¯ori wards had to do so before November 23 for the decision to be in time for the 2022 local body elections .
NRC is the only regional council among 11 nationally to have voted for Ma¯ori constituencies.
Seven district councils voted for Ma¯ori wards: Kaipara, Whanga¯rei, Gisborne, New Plymouth, Ruapehu, South Taranaki and Taupo¯.
Tauranga City Council completed the line-up.
Penny Smart, NRC chairwoman, said her council’s decision in favour of Ma¯ori seats was in line with the push for these by the Government and other councils.
She said more than a third of Northland’s population was Ma¯ori.
“The proposed Ma¯ori seats would strengthen the partnership between Ma¯ori and the council.
“[They] will also support and enable council to better reflect Ma¯ori values, issues, priorities and aspiration as they relate to council roles and functions and help us better reflect the needs and aspirations of our entire community.”
Smart said there seemed to be confusion over the role those elected to council via Ma¯ori constituencies would have.
“Councillors are elected to represent all Northlanders. Once elected, councillors sign an oath to represent all Northlanders and this is reflected in council’s vision ‘Northland Together we Thrive – Ko Te Taitokerau, Ka whai hua ta¯tou’.
“Ma¯ori elected to designated Ma¯ori seats will sign the same oath as other councillors: at the decision table they will represent and make decisions for the good of all Northlanders, not just tangata whenua,” Smart said.
“Similarly, all councillors are elected by constituents to make democratic decisions using robust, well-considered information.
“This means as elected representatives we must all come to the decision table with no pre-determination, willing to listen, contribute to good debate and then support the outcome of the vote.”
It should have already taken action to support these councils achieve Ma¯ori wards. Andrew Judd