July 29, 2022
Seats on council just part of struggle
A Manawatū iwi leader says the battle for proper Māori representation at the local government level in the district is far from over.
Manawatū District Council is one of 32 councils around to country which will have Māori wards for the first time after October’s election.
Meihana Durie from Te Kōtui Reo Taumata Collective, which represents hapū, iwi, and marae in the rohe, says a seat at the table isn’t enough – the bureaucracy also needs to change.
“There’s a whole kind of operational structure for council that have to engage with mana whenua, and have to engage with Māori and that’s where it is really important, We have to have a system that allows us to influence decision making and contribute to decision making on our own terms,” Dr Durie says.
Meihana Durie says for 150 years Māori in the Manawatū have struggled for a voice in local affairs – and they hope the wider community will come to see a Māori ward as positive for the whole community.