March 27, 2018
Maori seat petitions unfair
Local Government New Zealand is calling on the Government to remove poll provisions for Maori wards and constituencies.
Under the Local Electoral Act city, district or regional councils which want to create Maori seats as a way to meet their obligations for Maori representation can be forced by petition to hold a referendum which can overturn the decision.
LGNZ president Dave Cull says that these poll provisions do not apply to other wards and constituencies, which means the provision is unfair to Maori and inconsistent with the principle of equal treatment enshrined in the Treaty of Waitangi.
He says either the poll provisions should apply to all wards or they should apply to none.
The changes to the Act made in 2001 were intended to increase Maori representation in local authorities but the intent has failed, in large part due to the nature of the poll provisions.
Since 2002 the only Maori wards or constituencies established have been those introduced by the Waikato Regional Council, by council resolution in 2012, and the Wairoa District Council, agreed by poll in 2016.
The effect of the poll provisions have been to discourage councils from establishing Maori wards and in one case, New Plymouth District Council, was used to reverse a council’s decision.
It is Local Government NZ's view the Government must act now to address the unfairness created by the poll provisions and put in place legislative change that will enable appropriate options for Maori representation in local authorities where local councils choose to do so.
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