April 28, 2022
Back to drawing board for Rotorua council
Local Government Minister Nanaia expects a new version soon of a Bill creating Māori representatives on Rotorua Lakes Council.
A local bill prepared by the council and sponsored by Labour list MP Tamati Coffey got the thumbs down from Attorney General David Parker because the ward mechanism proposed was discriminatory against voters not on the Māori roll.
Ms Mahuta says what’s positive is the council is trying to move towards treaty-based representation from Te Arawa, building on its existing arrangement with the iwi.
“I think they would acknowledge the issues around the Bill of Rights Act became an issue at select committee and now both Tamati who is the sponsoring member and the council are having a look at what the best way forward is,” she says.
The delay in getting the bill through the select committee means there won’t be any change in time for October’s local body elections.