Thursday, 07 December 2023
KaitaiaWhangareiDargaville
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDRIVEN Car GuideThe CountryPhoto SalesiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub
Voyager 2023 media awards
Subscribe
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

System keeps Maori out of govt: Flavell

Northern Advocate
By Alexandra Newlove
1 Sep, 2016 12:00 AM2 mins to read
Saveshare

Share this article

facebookcopy linktwitterlinkedinredditemail
Minister for Maori Affairs Te Ururoa Flavell said Maori don't see a way into councils, so don't stand in local elections. Mr Flavell is with Whangarei Art Museum Trust chairman Grant Faber.

Minister for Maori Affairs Te Ururoa Flavell said Maori don't see a way into councils, so don't stand in local elections. Mr Flavell is with Whangarei Art Museum Trust chairman Grant Faber.

Designated Maori seats are the best way to ensure councils are more representative, says the Maori Development Minister.

Minister Te Ururoa Flavell made the comments on a visit to Whangarei Art Museum this week as part of a regional visit.

The low number of Maori candidates in Northland's local government election pool was a theme "right around the country", he said.

Maori make up 29.6 per cent of the Northland population but fewer than 10 per cent of those standing for the October elections are believed to have Maori heritage.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We should have designated seats or things will stay the same," Mr Flavell said. "[Maori] don't see a way into the council."

He described the chance of mostly non-Maori voters electing an advocate for Maori rights as "slim".

Pita Tipene, chairman of Whangarei District Council's (WDC) Maori advisory branch Te Huinga, said a lack of Maori representation mirrored lower voter turnout among Maori.

"[Maori] feel distant from the institution of government and this is magnified in local government. That's not to say people aren't thinking about and progressing issues," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Te Huinga comprised 16 representatives from Whangarei hapu. Te Huinga met monthly with councillors, a partnership dubbed Te Karearea. This recently expanded to include three regional council representatives.

Mr Tipene described Te Karearea as "not ideal, but we are determined to move and work with whoever is in council in an incremental way".

Maori wards were a good idea, although something that was yet to come up for "substantive discussion" with WDC, Mr Tipene said.

"There's only one way of improving Maori representation, [through] the relationship enshrined in the Treaty. Until that manifests in central and local Government, Maori will not be happy."

Related articles

Whangārei hapu want more say in council decision making

17 Jul 01:00 AM

Currently, councils could choose to establish Maori wards. But if 5 per cent of voters sign a petition opposing the move, the decision goes to a binding referendum. This was the process in April last year, when 68 per cent of Far North voters rejected Maori seats at the council table.

"The system itself is against Maori participation under that scenario," Mr Flavell said.

Mr Flavell was in Whangarei this week looking at a number of community and economic development projects.

Saveshare

Share this article

facebookcopy linktwitterlinkedinredditemail
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Pharmacist who heckled Ardern struck off after denouncing Govt's Covid response

07 Dec 05:00 AM
Northern Advocate

'Just lovely': Kindness pours in for man robbed of wallet, card after crash

07 Dec 04:03 AM
Northern Advocate

Having to turn away people on Christmas Day is heartbreaking, Salvation Army says

06 Dec 10:00 PM
Northern Advocate

Farmers urged to be vigilant as fall armyworm confirmed in Northland

06 Dec 07:09 PM

Toy trends for Christmas

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Pharmacist who heckled Ardern struck off after denouncing Govt's Covid response

Pharmacist who heckled Ardern struck off after denouncing Govt's Covid response

07 Dec 05:00 AM

The pharmacist heckled the former PM at a press conference, leading to it being shut down.

'Just lovely': Kindness pours in for man robbed of wallet, card after crash

'Just lovely': Kindness pours in for man robbed of wallet, card after crash

07 Dec 04:03 AM
Having to turn away people on Christmas Day is heartbreaking, Salvation Army says

Having to turn away people on Christmas Day is heartbreaking, Salvation Army says

06 Dec 10:00 PM
Farmers urged to be vigilant as fall armyworm confirmed in Northland

Farmers urged to be vigilant as fall armyworm confirmed in Northland

06 Dec 07:09 PM
More houses coming
sponsored

More houses coming

About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to The Northern AdvocateHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionThe Northern Advocate E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2023 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP