If you’re looking for balance in the latest round of commentary about Far North Mayor Moko Te Pania, you won’t find it in the usual right-wing echo chamber.

When talkback personalities like Duncan Garner weigh in, it’s worth remembering their track record. Outrage drives engagement, not accuracy, and certainly not a deep understanding of Te Tai Tokerau. So whatever noise is coming from that corner should be taken for what it is – Mutton dressed up as lamb.

But the real issue here goes deeper than one commentator or one councillor.

What we’re seeing yet again is the recycling of a tired narrative around so-called co-governance – a term that continues to be weaponised despite the reality that Māori have always played a central role in the Far North. That’s not new, it’s not radical, and it’s certainly not something to be feared.

You would have to be ignoring history to think otherwise.

Te Tai Tokerau has always been shaped by Māori leadership, Māori infrastructure, and Māori communities. From marae-based networks to iwi-led responses in times of crisis, the region has long relied on tangata whenua not just culturally, but practically.

And yet, time and time again, that contribution is questioned, undermined, and politicised.

We’ve seen this pattern before.

There was the bizarre episode involving a previous council figure calling talkback radio while pretending to be Māori – an incident that exposed just how far some are willing to go to manipulate public perception.

More recently, figures like Julian Batchelor attempted to stoke fear around co-governance, only to end up in court pursuing defamation claims that ultimately failed. The narrative didn’t hold up under scrutiny then, and it doesn’t now.

Now the latest version comes from within council itself.

Newly elected Kerikeri-based councillor Davina Smolders has raised concerns about governance at the Far North District Council. But the tone and framing of those concerns echo the same divisive rhetoric that has been circulating for years.

At some point, it has to be said plainly.

If the presence and influence of Māori leadership in the Far North is a problem, then perhaps the issue isn’t the governance – it’s the expectation.

Because this is a region where marae have consistently stepped up when it matters most. During recent climate-related events, it wasn’t abstract political arguments that provided support on the ground – it was Māori communities opening their doors, feeding people, coordinating responses, and doing the work.

That’s not ideology. That’s reality.

So before repeating lines about dysfunction or division, it might be worth recognising who actually carries the load in Te Tai Tokerau.

The Far North doesn’t need imported outrage or recycled talking points. It needs leadership that understands its people, its history, and its responsibilities.

And it needs critics who do the same.