Letters to the editor: Māori wards will ensure fair representation

Tauranga City councillors voted for Māori wards last year. Photo / File

In my view Don Brash is being disingenuous when he points out the number of Māori in Parliament to justify not having Māori wards.

Local government elections are supposed to be bi\partisan but voters know who favours which party from their policies.

Tauranga is a true blue electorate with some staunch but small areas for Labour, there is no way a Māori candidate who isn't seen as part of that establishment could ever be elected to provide their side of the argument.

Maybe the larger young generation coming through will eventually manage to pull their whānau together and get them motivated to vote but until that time, they need fair representation and a focus such as a ward will help promote that goal.

Barbara Baldwin
Te Puke

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Praising an unsung hero

One of New Zealand's unsung heroes is Sue Tutaki.

I was delighted to see her photo in Saturday's paper where she was speaking out about the dreadful price of houses, and how the price is crippling people lives, and this high cost is also reflected in rents.

We are as a society creating unnecessary dreadful social divisions. Sue's life has been devoted to helping young people particularly young Māori boys and girls, ensuring they are in school, ensuring they have enough food -and getting students to polytech for skills training.

To this kind and capable woman, we owe a debt of gratitude for the very fine work she has done for years helping our young people. Sue's health is challenged and hopefully she will get back to Katikati and continue the work she is so good at.

As a Māori Warden she is an example of the fine work our Māori Wardens do.

Margaret Murray-Benge
Bethlehem

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