Wellington’s Māori ward councillor says the Government is over-reaching by forcing councils to hold referendums on the future of their Māori wards.
Wellington City Council this week joined a growing list of local authorities voting to keep their wards, which means they now have to carry the cost of a referendum alongside next year’s local government election.
Nikau Wi Neera, who was elected to Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori ward on the Green Party ticket, says public consultation in 2021 found 97 percent support for setting up the ward.
He says a principle of New Zealand politics it the separation between central and local government.
“We’re elected in different years. We’re elected on different mandates. We deal with different issues. For the most part we don’t mess with each other’s kaupapa so for the Government to come in and require us, unilaterally, to make a representation decision no other ward is subject to is a really concerning example of them over-reaching in their power,” Mr Wi Neera says.
He says Maori wards are a very small part of treaty justice and treaty partnership.
