Māori wards referendum: Bay of Plenty teen activist Jack Karetai-Barrett plans awareness hīkoi

Teenager Jack Karetai-Barrett is planning a four-day hīkoi from Whakatāne to Mount Maunganui and back to urge people to vote “yes” to Māori wards.

“By taking this hīkoi, I’m making sure that what matters to me for the future really counts,” Jack, 15, told Local Democracy Reporting.

The Year 11 Whakatāne High School student is no stranger to political activism, having been embroiled in the movement to have Māori wards installed on local government councils since he was 10 years old.

In 2020, he and his mother Māwera Karetai travelled from Whakatāne to Wellington with Te Rōpū Tautoko Māori member Toni Boynton to deliver a petition in support of legislation changes that would allow councils to form Māori wards without voters being able to petition for a referendum.

It was young Jack who was selected from the group to hand the kete (basket) full of signatures to then Minister for Local Government Nanaia Mahuta on the steps of Parliament.

“That kete still hangs on a wall in our home as a daily reminder,” he said.

The Labour Government brought in legislation abolishing the referenda for Māori wards in 2022, following the petition.

The current Government reversed the law change last year. Councils that have instated Māori wards without holding a referendum must either disestablish them or hold a referendum at the local body elections in October.

Whakatāne District Council, which has three Māori ward councillors, opted to hold a referendum, which will be binding for the 2028 and 2031 local body elections.

Jack Karetai-Barrett plans to walk from Whakatāne to Mount Maunganui next week to campaign for people to tick yes for Māori wards. Photo / Troy Baker

Starting on Monday, Jack will spend two days walking along the roadside toward Tauranga wearing a big green tick on his backpack to urge people to vote yes to Māori wards.

After a rest day, he will spend the next two days walking back to Whakatāne – a 160km-return distance.

Although Tauranga City Council, whose voting area Jack will pass through on his hikoi, has no election this year, the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, which he will also pass through, like Whakatāne, will hold a referendum this year.

He said it was more about raising awareness in general than targeting a particular region and he selected the hīkoi route because it was a road he was familiar with.

“I know the road quite well, I know places I can stop and get food,” he said.

He is happy for others who feel strongly about Māori wards to join him on the hīkoi, even if it is only for part of it. However, he has no problem with walking the route by himself.

He has set up a Facebook group, “Walk for wards”, where anyone interested could stay updated.

He had already been contacted by someone in Wainuiomata who has been inspired by him to make a similar walk in her region.

Jack said Māori wards were important because Māori voter turnout tended to be lower than the general population.

“Therefore any Māori candidates standing in the general seats can’t get enough votes.

“This isn’t because Māori don’t care about politics, but rather due to a deep-seated mistrust in the systems that have been used against Māori for so long.

“Many feel that voting doesn’t lead to real change, as decisions are often made without truly considering Māori perspectives.”

When announcing the law change, then Local Government Minister Simeon Brown said the former legislation “denied” local communities the ability to determine whether to establish local Māori wards and undermined the principles of democracy.

– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.