July 22, 2020
Taranaki council sets example for iwi
A member of Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai says New Plymouth District Council's decision to establish Māori wards has inspired the Kāpiti Coast branch of the iwi.
Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai Charitable Trust chair Andre Baker says as a fomer Kāpiti Coast councillor he knows how hard it is to get the voice of mana whenua heard at the council table.
He says the Kāpiti council has been slow to acknowledge the need for Māori representation.
"I'm not clear at this point if there is a will to pursue that in our own area. That council, by not going to a referendum, has indicated quite clearly that they recognise the need for change and the need to have Māori sitting at the table where decisions are made," Mr Baker says.
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