Ngāti Ruanui welcome removal of racist local government provisions for Māori wards 01 Feb 2021 17:24 PM
Author: Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui @Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui
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Media Statement
1 February 2021
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui Trust welcomes the announcement from the Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta to change the Local Electoral Act removing polling over councils Māori wards voting.
This amendment has been long overdue as the current provisions of the Local Electoral Act are basically racist driven clauses that only apply polling referendum to Māori wards and none other.
“For too long we have witnessed communities taking sides and communities being pulled apart over local Māori representation,” said Tumu W’akaae, Haimona Maruera.
SunLive - Govt to abolish local veto on council Maori wards sunlive.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sunlive.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Government plans to make immediate changes that establish transitional measures for the 2022 local elections. The second stage will develop a permanent mechanism for local authorities to consider the establishment of MÄori wards. The current system has a different set of rules for establishing MÄori and general wards and that uneven playing field needs to change, Mahuta said. The process of establishing a ward should be the same for both MÄori and general wards.
She described the ability to veto MÄori wards in local councils as racist.Â
Green Party MÄori development spokesperson Dr Elizabeth Kerekere welcomed the Government s position to support the representation of MÄori in councils, describing it as a win .Â
Petition for poll on Ruapehu District Council Māori ward fails validation process
31 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM
2 minutes to read
The petition for a poll on Ruapehu s proposed Māori ward failed at the first hurdle last week. Photo / File
Electoral officer Warwick Lampp said the petition did not meet the required number of signatures. Lampp would not say how many signatures were presented, nor how many were, or were not, subsequently validated.
Under the Local Electoral Act, if a local authority votes to establish a Māori ward, registered voters can demand a poll on the issue by way of a petition. In the Ruapehu District, at least 385 signatures are required to meet the 5 per cent threshold to trigger a poll.