Iwi slam council's rejection of call for second museum referendum

Buddy Mikaere of Ngāi Tamarāwaho. Photo / Samantha Motion

Tangata whenua representatives have slammed a council decision not to run a second referendum to gauge support for a museum.

The council rejected Councillor Larry Baldock's call for another referendum by nine votes to three, this afternoon.

The majority was unmoved by a poll showing majority support for another referendum or his impassioned plea for elected officials to think of the next generation.

Most of the councillors who voted nay said they supported a museum but not now, and not with so much of the funding burden resting on ratepayers.

Councillor Rick Curach said the real poll would be the election.

Puhirake Ihaka, speaking on behalf of the council's mana whenua partnership group, said the result was "disappointing".

"Our thousands of taonga are being stored in a warehouse at the Mount. It is absolutely degrading for that to happen."

He said the taonga deserved a place where they could be displayed.

Buddy Mikaere of Ngāi Tamarāwaho said it seemed that "the future political aspirations of some are more important than the history of this city."