Palmerston North city councillor Leonie Hapeta.
THREE KEY FACTS:
Leonie Hapeta is a Palmerston North councillor
OPINION
I’ve been an elected member of the Palmerston North council since October 2013.
I want to explain my decision to vote against Māori wards at a recent council meeting.
My husband is Māori. His iwi is Raukawa from Ōtaki.
We have discussed my decision to vote with this perspective in mind and I feel that all people should have a chance to get onto council with any opportunity that they can – regardless of their ethnicity. I do not feel that Māori should be treated differently to anyone else. So for this reason I do not support Māori Wards.
I do support all people who have been elected to council. Since I have been on council, I have seen people from the Pasifika community, the Asian/Muslim communities and more elected.
On the Horizons Regional Council, Wiremu Te Awe Awe has successfully been elected for more than two terms and been, in my opinion, a successful councillor.
For an alternative view: Councillor Pat Handcock on why he thinks the Māori ward should remain.
My position is that I would like the council to have a referendum at the next election for the public to inform us of their views on whether to have Māori wards.
I think this is too big an issue for us not to go back to our community to ask the public this question: Should we have Māori wards in Palmerston North City?
That is a question you’ll get to decide at the next council election.
Reporter Martha and friends are in Minginui introducing us to their favourite four-legged neighbours, wild but friendly horses that have had free reign of the place since 1870.
