ANDY JACKSON/Stuff
Andrew Judd s life changed when he owned his racist thoughts and embarked on a crusade around Māori representation. (file photo)
The decision by the four Taranaki councils to approve Māori wards is not the end of the process, a former mayor who lost his political career for championing the cause has warned. “Don’t think that by any stretch of the imagination that by having established a Māori ward seat it means we have arrived at our destination,” said Andrew Judd. “It’s actually only part of the journey.
ANDY JACKSON/STUFF
The Stratford District Council have voted unanimously in favour of a Māori ward.
In 2014, former New Plymouth mayor Andrew Judd spearheaded a push for a Māori ward for the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) and was successful in having it narrowly voted in 7-6. However, the law at the time meant a citizen-initiated binding referendum could be forced if a petition signed by five per cent of the voting public was submitted. It was. And in the 2015 binding referendum that followed 83 per cent of the 25,338 returned votes were against the proposal and the ward was overturned.
Stuff
Former New Plymouth mayor Andrew Judd comforts councillor Sam Bennett after the New Plymouth District Council voted in favour of a ward in 2020. When Judd was mayor in 2014 the council voted in a ward, but it was overturned by a binding referendum.
They had twice, once in August and once in March after the law allowing a binding referendum changed, pushed out making a decision on the matter. “A hāngī needs to get put down,” Clive Tongaaw’ikau, the chair of Araukuku hapū, said. “I feel like I’ve climbed a mountain, and I’m running down.”
ANDY JACKSON/Stuff Tongaaw’ikau spoke at the meeting and led haka and waiata throughout the morning. “I don’t know how to put it into words,” he said, throwing his arms in the air with a grin. He said the thought of his district being the odd one out in Taranaki history had saddened him.
Former mayor Andrew Judd says he is proud of his hometown.
Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
District council staff have recommended creating at least one ward after amendments to election law in March.
Under the amended Local Government Act, councils may resolve to establish Māori wards before 21 May.
The amendments removed electors ability to demand a binding poll on establishing Māori wards. No other electoral review needed such a referendum.
Mana whenua Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa have one representative on council and committees.
The representatives have votes on committees, but no voting rights on council decisions.
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