Does this indicate Cr Alder felt he was under duress - did he feel threatened or coerced into now changing his stance and voting?
And how many others may have been influenced by their surroundings - by the marae venue?
Did they feel they could speak freely - or did they feel constrained?
I have previously pointed out that Māori already had the voting power to put people on council - the Census figures referred to by Cr Ani Pahuru-Huriwai.
The different views on what constitutes democracy suggests to me that “some want the cake, and to eat it too!”
Roger Handford
Sub-trust not a beneficiary
An excellent news page article by the editor Jeremy Muir (TGH August 10). The editor knows our Trust Tairāwhiti history inside-out and backwards. The AGM is at 5.30pm on August 15.
A serious legal issue which arises from the article is the distribution of $12.3m to 118 community groups. The number 118 is only correct if one counts the single distribution of $9.5m to a charitable trust called Eastland Network Charitable Trust. My point is that this charitable trust, a sub-trust of our community trust, is not entitled to a single dollar let alone $9.5m.
I say this because beneficiaries as defined in the Trust Tairāwhiti deed of trust of 1993 can only be a person entitled to vote in our local council elections or who is connected to the Eastland Energy (now Firstgas) electrical distribution system. The charitable trust is neither a person nor an electricity consumer. This can be verified by reading its 2024 annual return on the Charitable Trust Register.
Moreover, the personnel, or trustees, of both trusts are identical and control of the so-called charity is held by the trustees of Trust Tairāwhiti.
Perhaps Trust Tairāwhiti should recall the $9.5m and re-issue it to real, living beneficiaries (now suffering electricity hardship) before the IRD and Auditor-General start looking and going back these past 10 years.
Winston Moreton
Thank you councillors
Re: Māori wards retained, binding poll next year - August 8 story.
Miharo! Kei te pai matou kaunihera! I love our place and our wonderful councillors. You are demonstrating that your moral compass is set to true north.
Kia kaha, kia maia, kia aroha tatou katoa. Big kisses and hugs to you all.
Lara Meyer
Pure virtue signalling
Re: Māori wards retained, binding poll next year - August 8 story.
There was only one person in that room to show the ultimate respect for Māori people and treat them as equal and that was Cr Telfer.
There are equal opportunities for anyone to stand as a candidate and people can choose to vote based on the merits of the candidates – or the colour of their skin if they prefer.
Those who continually patronise Māori and treat them as victims are not Māori people’s friends. Those who prefer to depict Māori people as victims, do so because such victimisation is in their own personal interest. Via pure virtue signalling, they can then depict themselves as champions for Māori people.
The truth is that Māori in this country have reached the highest levels in educational, vocational, business, sport and the political arena.
If we believe in democracy, we need to honour one vote, one person and equal opportunity for everyone. Anything which is based on race, only creates racial division. It’s the oldest trick in the book - divide and rule.
If we have reached the level of maturity in this country, there shouldn’t be any voting system based on race.
A fail grade to our existing council for promoting racial division in our district and showing zero respect for Māori people and zero respect for democracy.
I believe that Māori can stand as candidates in their own right and be chosen based on the number of votes they receive. With more than half of the population Maori, this shouldn’t be a problem. They don’t need a distortion of democracy to get on the council.
It is high time that Māori believe in themselves and don’t fall for virtue-signalling from those who want to keep them weak, under their control, and portray them as victims.
Simin Williams
