Former local government Naiaia Mahuta says the Government’s intention to bring back binding referenda for Māori wards is a backwards step.
She says the aim of local government should be to give people a say in what’s happening in their community.
In many parts of Aotearoa, such as the far North, Bay of Plenty and other pockets around the country, Māori make up the majority of the population but have not been represented in a way that reflect their contribution to community well-being, regional growth and economic development.
“I don’t think it will be a true reflection of what people want to see at a community level. Now we have had Māori wars established, those Maori voices around a council decision-making tsble making a huge and positive contribution to the lives of their communties,” Ms Mahuta says.
Because local government representation was traditionally based on holding land, rural areas have often been given a disproportionate say, whereas Māori who lost their land to raupatu and other forms of confiscation were disenfranchised.
