August 12, 2022
Wāhine Māori needed on Auckland Council says Leoni
A candidate for Auckland Council says it’s sad the world’s largest Māori city currently has only two councillors of Māori descent.
Waitematā Local Board member Kerrin Leoni, of Ngāti Paoa, wants to step up to represent the Whau ward in the city’s inner west.
She hopes to be the first wahine Māori elected since the supercity was created in 2010.
“We haven’t had any Māori women actually stand as councillors or be successful to stand as councillors so we need to lead the way and show Māori we can get into these positions, still have roles, still have tamariki, still manage everything else that we’ve got to do,” Ms Leoni says.
She says councillors Alf Filipaina and Richard Hills, both with Ngapuhi links, have done great jobs – but a Māori woman’s perspective would bring another dimension to council affairs.
Nominations for the October elections close at noon today.