By ROSALEEN MacBRAYNE
Environment BoP, the Bay of Plenty regional council, has been in the headlines since the mid-1990s over its controversial bid to establish separate seats for Maori.
The last two councils became embroiled in the debate, which divided people nationally as well as locally.
The Maori Constituency Empowering Bill
made it into Parliament during this term, but although the final reading is due soon, the legislation will be too late for the October 13 poll.
Even if the bill is passed, it may not be the end of the matter, depending on whether Maori seats are mandatory or optional.
The 1995-98 regional council, which had no Maori members, set the ball rolling.
The next 11 elected representatives - including two Maori - revisited the issue, giving rise to just as much heated debate.
A first-time councillor, South African-born Jim Pringle, compared the push for Maori seats to apartheid. In May 1999 he tried to scuttle the bill before it got to Parliament.
He lost the vote 3-8, but that has not affected his political future.
Mr Pringle and Ian Noble have not been challenged for the two seats in the Western Bay of Plenty constituency this time.
Those in favour two years ago of continuing to press for the creation of separate Maori seats (* denotes councillors seeking re-election) were: Lorraine Brill*, Tai Eru-Morehu*, Athole Herbert*, Jacqui Hughes, John Keaney, Rosemary Michie*, Bryan Riesterer*, Jenny Seddon.
Against: John Cronin*, Ian Noble and Jim Pringle (both re-elected unopposed).
Feature: Local body elections 2001
www.localgovt.co.nz
