February 05, 2024
Horse may have bolted on Māori wards
The coalition government may find it’s too late to scrap Māori wards at local council level.
National is supporting New Zealand First’s call to restore a referendum on the establishment or ongoing use of Maori wards.
But Northland Regional Council deputy chair and Te Raki Māori electorate representative Tui Shortland says councils have followed a legal process on whether to have the wards on the form of Maori representation, if any.
“Every terms or two we will say ‘we are going to go with this.’ It’s called a representation review. So for Taitokerau, for Northland Regional Council, we are already having it. Governments can say one thing but actually they’ve delegated sovereignty to local and regional government. to carry out mandated work,” she says.
The coalition government agreement includes requiring a referendum on any wards established without referendum at the next Local Body elections.