October 29, 2020
Far north seat vote "irrational and racist"
Te Rarawa chair Haami Piripi says Far North District Council’s refusal to create a Māori ward is a sign of structural racism.
The council deadlocked 5-5 on the issue,
Mr Piripi says that’s disappointing, given Māori make up half the population of the far north, iwi are the largest ratepayers, and Māori have been consistently underrepresented on council through the existing voting system.
"There's no rational reason why it should be voted against. It can only be an irrational reason and that' where institutional racism finds its niche, digs in, holds an archaic system up," Mr Piripi says.
Haami Piripi says the waka of local government is clearly broken and Māori may need an alternate system to protect their interests.
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