Letters to the editor: How will the Māori ward actually work?

Tauranga City Council. Photo / File

Further to my letter of September 3, Tauranga City Council has issued a public notice giving citizens a right to demand a poll on the establishment of Māori wards.

Why is the council proceeding with a poll option before giving information of what we are really voting about?

For Māori wards, the council quotes legislation saying there will be one Māori ward and then notes it will undertake a representation review, presumably to decide how the Māori ward fits in, what influence there is on other wards, and for at-large candidates.

Or are we going to simply have one more councillor? My answer to that is: no way.

This is the wrong way of going about such an important issue.

I have no problem with a Māori ward but will not vote for it unless I understand how it will work within the governing system.

Will the practice of appointing Māori to certain committees be reduced accordingly?

This leads me to wonder: Is this all set up to fail? If so, very unfair to Maori.

This is, in my opinion, another example of the current shambles we have within our council organisation.

Bill Capamagian
Tauranga

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