Rotorua Lakes councillors Rawiri Waru and Lani Kereopa step down from Te Tatau o Te Arawa board

Lani Kereopa (left) and Rawiri Waru have stepped down from Te Tatau o Te Arawa. Photos / NZME

Rawiri Waru and Lani Kereopa have resigned from their roles on the Te Tatau o Te Arawa board.

Waru, who chaired the Te Arawa board and Kereopa, its deputy chairwoman, were both elected to the Rotorua Lakes Council as Māori ward councillors in October.

Waru said he believed stepping aside would enable greater and more robust Te Arawa participation and involvement by Te Tatau o Te Arawa at the council.

He believed there has been some confusion about his and Kereopa’s roles as Māori ward councillors, rather than Te Arawa councillors.

“Firstly, me mihi ki a Te Arawa,” Waru said in a statement by the board.

“It has been an honour to serve the people on the Te Tatau board since its inception. I believe in the kaupapa and will always support Te Tatau o Te Arawa and the partnership with [the] council.

“I feel this is a good time to step away so as not to blur the lines with the position I hold as a Māori ward representative.”

Waru said he wished Te Tatau o Te Arawa all the best.

“It is an integral part of how our city and rohe are going to be set up for future generations. May it go on mō ake tonu atu,” Waru said.

Kereopa said she was happy to step down as the Ngāti Whakaue representative on Te Tatau o Te Arawa to allow another voice to join the table.

“I put my hand up for Te Tatau because I wanted to support iwi engagement within local government decision-making,” Kereopa said in the statement.

“As a Māori ward councillor, I will continue to maintain a good working relationship with the Te Tatau board towards those same aspirations.”

Te Tatau board has elected James Hamiora as the new chair and Mariana Vercoe as the new deputy chair.

Te Tatau o Te Arawa will be filling the two vacancies in the near future.