November 02, 2017
Nothing to fear from Maori wards
The deputy chair of the Waikato Regional Council says people in local goverment are refusing to see the benefits of an increased Maori presence.
Palmerston North has decided to attempt to create a Maori ward in time for the 2019 election but Napier, Whangarei and Northland are the latest councils to reject the idea.
Tipa Mahuta says her ward was created because the Waikato council wanted to increase its responsiveness to treaty settlements acknowledging the kaitiaki relationship iwi had for natural resources such as the Waikato River.
She says the arrangement is positive for iwi and council.
"So iwi feel they have won their own voice with council as well as a supportive voice at council making sure the right conversation is being held because if we are not at the table we are the subject of the conversation, not informing it ourselves," Ms Mahuta says.
She says local government is inherently conservative and as Maori haven't been present for generations, councillors don't see the need for them.
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