“Now we have the opportunity to work as one to represent the views and aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi across all aspects of council business ... I couldn’t be prouder.”
Based on the the ratio of Māori electoral population to the total electoral population, there would likely be two Māori councillors elected in the Hauraki district.
Josie Anderson, of Ngāti Hako, said the council’s decision on the Māori wards was so important to people, that a lot of them brought their tamariki, mokopuna and rangatahi with them to witness it.
“This is the foundation to look to the next 100 years. This will take our rangatahi and our people into the future,” Anderson said.
The council last reviewed its Māori representation arrangements in 2018. Councillors then decided not to establish Māori wards for the 2019 and 2022 local elections.
Adams said back then, the council didn’t feel it had “enough time with iwi” to do justice to the decision. “This year we committed to the mahi.”
Māori wards are represented by councillors who sit alongside general ward councillors on the local council. Like their colleagues, they are elected representatives, but only voters enrolled on the Māori electoral roll can vote for them.
People on the Māori roll are only able to vote for the mayor and the candidates standing in the Māori wards. They can’t vote for candidates standing in the general wards.
Earlier this week the Waitomo District Council voted not to introduce Māori wards for the next two local government elections.
Waitomo mayor John Robertson said the decision was made after community consultation.
“In my view, establishing Māori wards would not serve the interests of Māori in terms of representative and substantial electoral participation.”
Tomorrow: Which Waikato councils do and don’t have Maori wards
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