Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: A greater Māori TV presence? We re not talking Police Ten 7 nzherald.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nzherald.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
ANDY JACKSON/STUFF
Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta makes an announcement at the New Plymouth District Council regarding Māori wards. (First published Feb 1, 2021)
Petitions instigated by the Hobsons Pledge Trust to overturn the establishment of Māori wards in Taranaki failed, even before the law changed to prevent their success. The Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill came into effect on Thursday, removing the right for a petition signed by five per cent of electors to demand a binding poll on a Māori ward.
Samuel Rillstone/RNZ
Te Pāti Māori Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer celebrated the passing of the Māori awards bill on Thursday (file photo).
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Media Release: The Executive Director of the New Zealand Māori Council, Matthew Tukaki, has said todays final reading of the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill will be historic for Māori as a targeted piece of legislation that does more to keep Maori out of Local Government is stripped away.
“I have said, we have said, many have said that this piece of legislation must go - it does more to divide than unite us and it is a pox on our house that we should be treated this way as the first nations people“ but more to the point it has given open license to some in our society to wage campaigns against Maori interests and rights with no regards to the Treaty of Waitangi. I note that organisations like Hobsons Pledge continue to rage against this.” Tukaki said.