Tauranga council says 'no' to Maori ward

Matire Duncan, deputy chair of a collective of Tauranga iwi and hapu, was in support of establishing a Maori ward on the council - which has been denied by Tauranga City Council. Photo/file

Tauranga City Council has today unanimously opposed the establishment of a separate Maori seat onto the council.

Mayor Stuart Crobsy recommended that no Maori ward be established for the 2016 election.

Mr Crosby said a Maori ward at this time would damage the relationship between Maori and non-Maori in Tauranga.

He said Maori were going through a renaissance with their history and a Maori ward would be a big step backwards. The time for the debarte could be the proposed local government re-organisation in the Bay of Plenty.

Let's stick to one person, one vote, no matter who they are.

Cr Gail McIntosh

The council heard strong views from public speakers prior to the debate representing both sides of the argument for Maori to have a ward.

Councillor Catherine Stewart said people should be voted into the council on their own merits.

Councillor Gail McIntosh said "we have to govern on what is best for all of the community".

She said "we don't like the flavour of what is being said in letters to the editor".

"Let's stick to one person, one vote, no matter who they are."

Earlier this month the Tauranga Moana Tangata Whenua Collective sought better representation on the council by proposing creating a city-wide Maori Ward.

In a previous article leading up to today's meeting, Matire Duncan, deputy chairwoman of a collective of Tauranga iwi and hapu, spoke in support of the collective's stance to establish a Maori ward on the council.

Fears that giving Maori their own seat on the council could be interpreted as "separatist, racist and apartheid driven" were dismissed as myths, she said.

Matire Duncan, deputy chairwoman of a collective of Tauranga iwi and hapu, was speaking in support of the collective's stance to establish a Maori ward on the council.