Listen Now: 
April 25, 2022
Rotorua Council plan fails Bill of Rights test
Waatea Team
Posted On April 25, 2022
A local bill creating a unique voting system for Rotorua Lakes Council is in doubt after Attorney General David Parker found it failed a key Bill of Rights test.
The bill sponsored by Rotorua-based list MP Tamati Coffey would allow a council comprised of three seats from a general ward, three seats from a Māori ward, four seats at large, and the mayor.
Mr Parker says the bill creates a disparity in the number of people represented by councillors, with Māori ward councillors representing far fewer people than their general ward counterparts.
If the formula was replicated in other councils, it could have significant impacts which “may be better considered in full by central government”.
He says there is limited information to assist a justification analysis, and his opinion was based on the bill itself and publicly available documents.
National’s Justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says each Māori roll vote would be worth roughly two-and-a-half votes on the general roll.
He says Labour should drop the bill and also abandon the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill, which would allow Ngāi Tahu to appoint two members of the council.
RELATED NEWS
