Western Bay of Plenty District Council honours Māori wards decision

Mā te hoe ngātahi o te waka tēnā ka tūtuki pai te kaupapa l By way of paddling our waka in unison is how we will best achieve the outcome.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council remains committed to establishing Māori wards and providing broader democratic representation.

In front of strong iwi support, Council committed to enabling Māori to have a seat at the table.

Western Bay Mayor James Denyer says this was the right thing to do, remaining faithful to our earlier decision and making sure that we have effective and fair representation. Māori representation at the Council table helps to better reflect the make-up of our community, provide a wider perspective in decision-making, while growing authentic Te Tiriti based relationships.

“It is only right that tangata whenua can demonstrate the value a Māori ward will bring and the positive impact this will have at Council. Removing Māori wards before they have even had a chance to prove themselves in our District, as they have elsewhere, would be a backwards step.”

Western Bay was among the local authorities legally required to review its decision to establish a Māori ward.

Under the Government’s recently passed legislation, it had until September 6 to either affirm the establishment of a Māori ward and hold a poll on the issue in 2025, which would then be binding for the following two electoral cycles – 2028 and 2031 – or reverse the decision and abolish its Māori ward.

Te Kāhui Mana Whenua o Tauranga Moana and Te Ihu o te Waka o Te Arawa chairs Reon Tuanau and Geoff Rice celebrate Council pushing on with what’s right, and what will lead to better, more inclusive decision-making.

“We value the relationship with the current Council and stand proud in the achievements made together. Having a Māori ward will only enhance this relationship and the outcomes we can achieve as a united community.

“We understand that this may be a challenging decision for some in the community, and we respect the importance of considering the broader community views.

“However, we believe that establishing Māori wards is crucial toward fair and effective representation for all. This aligns with the principle that all perspectives should be heard, and that better representation leads to better governance.”

The community will get a chance to kōrero with elected members and the Council team on what this decision will look like later this month as part of the Representation Review. Through this kōrero Council will present an initial proposal on the number of wards and seats for our Western Bay of Plenty whānau to consider.

“The Representation Review and referendum on Māori wards are important moments in time for Western Bay, and we want to ensure as many people as possible join the kōrero on both matters.

“We all want to make our community better, and working together to make decisions with different perspectives will help us to be a stronger Council for our community,” explains Mayor James.

What are Māori wards?

Māori wards establish areas where only people on the Māori electoral roll can vote for candidates standing for a Māori ward. Similarly, only those on the general electoral roll can vote for those candidates standing for a general ward.

The Māori wards sit alongside the general wards of each city or district. Their aim is to ensure Māori are represented in local government decision-making, just like the dedicated electorate seats in Parliament.