October 13, 2021
Iwi boundaries respected in Taranaki wards
South Taranaki intends to opt for two Māori wards at next year’s local body election rather than a single ward with two seats.
The final proposal approved by councillors will have a northwestern Māori ward covering the rohe of Ngāruahine and Taranaki, which those iwi have Te Kūrae, and a southeastern Māori ward, Te Tai Tonga, encompassing Ngāti Ruanui and Ngā Rauru iwi.
Seventy percent of submitters supported the proposal, with Federated Farmers saying Māori wards were an effective way to get fair and equal representation for the Māori constituency around the district.
The introduction of Māori seats means the number of councilors will increase by one, with the coastal ward losing a seat.
The proposal needs to be approved by the Local Government Commission.