Aorangi Marae organises protest against Manawatū District Council decision

Te Paati Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is urging Manawatū District Council to support a Māori ward for the 2022 election. Photo / Supplied

Aorangi Marae is organising a protest hikoi tomorrow, May 11, urging the Manawatū District Council to change its mind about Māori wards.

Last Thursday, the council voted to defer a decision on the establishment of a Māori ward until 2023.

Hikoi walkers are asked to meet at 9am at 139 South St, Feilding, for karakia and a march briefing. The march will start at 9.30am.

Organisers say they want to publicly show their unified voice of "absolute disappointment and disagreement" with the decision. "At stake are the futures of our mokopuna. Now is the time we must take a stand."

The council has until May 21 to reverse its decision.

Te Paati Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer posted on the council's Facebook page urging it to rediscuss its decision and "lead on the right side of history".

Palmerston North-based Green MP Teanau Tuiono said he was disappointed in the council's decision. Tuiono was involved in the 2018 campaign supporting Māori wards for Palmerston North and Manawatū District.

"Why should Māori continue to be tokenised by local governments and only seen as people who do karakia to open a new building within the regions."

In favour of deferring the decision were Mayor Helen Worboys, deputy mayor Michael Ford, and councillors Grant Hadfield, Andrew Quarrie, Heather Gee-Taylor and Steve Bielski.
Against deferring the decision were councillors Alison Short, Phil Marsh, Hilary Humphrey
and Shane Casey. Cr Stuart Campbell abstained because of his business connections with local iwi.

A statement from the council's governance team said the delay allows for wider community consultation and education regarding what a Māori ward means for the residents of the district. The team hopes this will lead to widespread community support for the establishment of Māori wards.

"We value the relationship with our iwi and we understand that today's decision was not the one that they had hoped for."

In a presentation supporting the establishment of a Māori ward for the 2022 elections, Ngā Manu Tāiko consultative committee said its hapū, iwi and marae were here long before councils were ever contemplated, and will be here for many more reiterations of local government to come.

"Māori wards are viewed as a beginning in the realisation of Māori aspirations, of our Māori being active contributors in a meaningful manner."

For more information on the hikoi see Aorangi Marae on Facebook.