Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
A protest was held in May in the city against the council s decision.
The local Taiwhenua said current laws were in breach of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the Crown s Treaty obligations to ensure Māori had adequate and proportionate representation at a local government level.
The five claimants are from the local iwi authority Te Taiwhenua o te Whanganui ā Orotū - Tamati Cairns, Shayne Walker, Tania Eden, Matthew Mullany, Alayna Hokianga and Hori Reti. To date, Māori representation and participation in local government has continued to languish well below the proportion of Māori in the population, the claim read.
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Photo: RNZ / Tom Kitchin
This comes as the debate around the constituencies in Te Matau-a-Māui reaches its peak, including in Napier and Hastings.
The regional council has held hearings over the past two days, with 45 people speaking to councillors.
A total of 1090 submissions were received: 89.2 percent were in support and 10.5 percent against, three people said they did not know.
Of people who submitted, 70 percent were on the Māori roll, 26.9 percent on the general roll and 2.7 percent not registered.
Yesterday, Te Taiwhenua o Te Whanganui a Orotū chief executive Tania Eden spoke in support of the wards saying the community needed to admit we have actually failed Māori .
Takoto Noa Māori Standing Committee member Mike Paku said it was time “for our voice to come to the table”. “We re not the decision makers, it is you, council. We need you to step up and be leaders,” he said. “For us it s not just about sitting at this table, it s about recognition and giving respect to the Treaty of Waitangi, to our hapu and our iwi. Not just at this table, but throughout the country.” Commitee chairman Robin Hape said introducing Māori wards simply gave Māori the opportunity to choose a representative who had the interests of all Māori in the district and, acknowledging the current Māori leadership at the council table, the opportunity allowed for specific Māori representation.