Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor, Toi Kai Rakau Iti, has been re-elected unopposed for his Kohi seat.
He says his re-election should be read as a vote of confidence rather than a sign of democratic apathy, as the Kohi seat has been heavily contested in previous elections.
Mr Iti stood this time under the Māori Party banner, and says securing the party’s first seat in Local Government is an important step in challenging the status quo.
He says councils will need to do better in accommodating the influx of Māori councillors elected to the many new Māori wards, and need to see it as being just the start of creating Tiriti-based partnerships.
