Ma¯ori ward decision slammed

Stratford district councillors have been slammed for being the only council in Taranaki that hasn’t voted to establish a Ma¯ ori ward.

In a heated discussion after Tuesday night’s public meeting to discuss the long-term plan at

Stratford’s Whaakahurangi Marae, elected members were heavily criticised for their decision against establishing a Ma¯ ori ward for the 2022 elections.

Former New Plymouth mayor Andrew Judd, who championed a Ma¯ ori ward in his district in 2014 and has become the face of the national movement to establish Ma¯ori wards, challenged the councillors’ decision.

‘‘It’s really sad, for our province, that Stratford will be forever in history for not taking up its opportunity with the rest,’’ Judd said. ‘‘You will be part of a list of councils who missed that opportunity.’’

In the last 12 months, New Plymouth and South Taranaki district councils, and the Taranaki Regional Council, have all voted for Ma¯ ori representation.

Stratford is one of the country’s smallest districts, with a population of just under 10,000, of whom 14 per cent identify as Ma¯ ori. Councillors had the opportunity to green light the establishment of a Ma¯ ori ward in August last year.

But they unanimously voted against it, opting to begin the process in 2024, so they had time to consult with their community.

In defence of this, deputy mayor Alan Jamieson told Judd that what had happened to him in

New Plymouth in 2014 had made Stratford ‘‘gun shy’’.

Judd did not stand for reelection in 2016 at the end of his first term as mayor because of the virulent backlash among voters to his support for a Ma¯ ori ward.

‘‘If we charged at it straight away and said ‘yes, we’re going to have that’, and it was overturned by the public, that would look bad

for Stratford,’’ Jamieson said.

But that potential outcome was ruled out earlier this year when the Government changed the law that allowed the community to force a binding referendum on any Ma¯ori ward decision. The law change also gave councils extra time to make a decision, or reconsider previously made ones.

Mayor Neil Volzke reintroduced the idea to councillors in March, and it was again voted down.

This time it was not unanimous. Volzke, along with councillors Peter Dalziel, Min McKay, and Amanda Harris voted to reconsider a Ma¯ori ward in time for the 2022 elections.

However deputy mayor Alan Jamieson and councillors Grant Boyde, Rick Coplestone, Jono Erwood, Vaughan Jones, John Sandford and Gloria

Webby voted to wait until 2024 to begin the process.

Councillor Sanford defended that decision, explaining the council had been extremely busy.

‘‘Last year was a hell of a year. Give us a chance, we are really under the pump at the moment,’’ he said.

Lovey Read, the secretary of the marae, questioned the excuse. Ma¯ ori wards were ‘‘a big issue’’, she said.

‘‘All of us have ups and downs in our lives that we have to work with – not just councillors.’’

Marcia Reid, also of the marae, asked why Stratford needed to hold off until 2024 when other councils had made the decision in the last 12 months.

Informal conversations had started between council chief executive Sven Hanne, community services director

Kate Whareaitu, and the district’s seven iwi, Volzke said, but they needed to be more in depth.

‘‘If I know one thing that I’ve learnt over the years, about iwi relations, is that you don’t do things unless you’ve consulted with iwi.

‘‘We haven’t done that yet and we need to,’’ he said.

Councillor McKay admitted the council ‘‘absolutely’’ had the opportunity to consult earlier this year and start the process of introducing a Ma¯ ori ward. She acknowledged the criticism and that there was a lot of work to be done within the council.

‘‘What I’m hoping is we can do better in three years time and deliver this.’’