There are people whose lives can be neatly summarised by the positions they held, the organisations they represented and the battles they fought. Rihari “Dick” Dargaville was never going to fit neatly into anything. He was a Hokianga kaumātua, Ngāpuhi leader, Vietnam veteran, Māori advocate, campaigner and relentless champion for Te Tai Tokerau. But he was…

A new political battle over Māori representation in local government has erupted, with the Public Service Association warning changes to the Government’s Local Government legislation could leave mana whenua sitting around council committee tables — but without a vote. The PSA is strongly opposing changes to the Local Government (Systems Improvement) Bill that would prevent…