March 31, 2013
No guarantee of Māori seats in Northland plan
A local government consultant claims there is no guarantee a unitary council for the far north would include Māori seats.
Iwi have backed the Far North District Council's proposal because they were promised there would be Māori seats created in the merger of Northland’s regional and district council.
But Jane Simmonds from Tattico says because none of the affected councils currently have Māori wards, the Local Government Commission can’t just add them in any restructuring.
She told a consultation meeting organised by the regional council, which is opposing the plan, that creating Māori wards would need a poll of all electors.
The other option is special legislation, but the Government rejected this course in setting up the new Auckland council.Only voters on the Māori roll would be able to vote for Māori councillors, and they would be unable to vote in general wards as well.
Ms Simmonds says Māori could be appointed to council advisory groups or committees but not to the council itself.
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