Ability to call for referendum against Māori wards resisted
Palmerston North is leading attempts to stop the Government’s plans to restore communities’ ability to demand a referendum to prevent councils having Māori wards or constituencies.
The city council attempted to set up a Māori ward in 2017, but its decision was challenged by a petition demanding a referendum, which overturned the council’s plans.
When the law changed to do away with the referendum provision, the council decided in 2021 to have a Māori ward at the 2022 elections.
The Te Pūao Māori ward councillors elected were deputy mayor Debi MarshallLobb and Roly Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald led a call for the council to seek support for a remit to Local Government New Zealand advocating for all wards to be treated the same. “We oppose the idea that Māori wards should be singled out and forced to suffer a public referendum,” the proposed remit reads.
Mayor Grant Smith said working with Māori was part of the council’s DNA.
It had set up a Rangitāne o Manawatū committee, had signed a joint kawenata, or agreement, to work together, and a Te Whiri Kōkō forum between Rangitāne and council staff to discuss a range of issues.
Council meetings routinely begin and end with a karakia.
Cr Lorna Johnson said having Māori councillors brought a lot of passion and mana and value to the council table.
When the law changed in 2021, many other councils took the opportunity to set up Māori wards.
Six of the 11 regional councils including Horizons established Māori constituencies, and 29 of 67 district and city councils, including all in the Horizons region, set up wards.
The 2022 elections returned the highest number of Māori ever, who now make up 22% of all councillors, up from 5%.
LGNZ president Sam Broughton is already on record calling on the Government to ensure councils could make their own decisions on Māori wards without the prospect of a referendum. ▍ Share your views
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