Māori wards firmly in the spotlight

By Chris Marshall

Tūwharetoa celebrates the opening of its new He Whare Hono ō Tūwharetoa building which is also the administration hub for the Taupō District Council. Photo: Dan Hutchinson

Stakes are in the ground on the referendum on Taupō District Council’s Māori ward, Te Papamārearea which accompanies this October’s poll for mayor and councillors.

Taupō is one of 42 councils required to run a binding poll on its Māori ward following the passing of a coalition government bill in July 2024. 

Te Papamārearea reserves two council positions and is voted on by those on the Māori roll district wide; other wards (Taupō, Mangakino-Pouakani, Tūrangi-Tongariro and Taupō East Rural) are geographically based.

In May last year both the TDC and Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board made submissions opposing the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill that would require a referendum or that councils ditch the ward.

The council focused on proportionate representation for Māori.

At the time Mayor David Trewavas called the bill anti-democratic, saying it would undo advances made to support Māori aspirations.

The ward had been introduced in 2022 to increase Māori representation and participation in local government decision-making processes, he said in a release. 

“Iwi/Māori throughout the district expressed that while achieving genuine partnership is the ultimate goal, creating Māori wards was seen as a necessary advancement towards that.” 

The two councillors had provided invaluable contributions to help integrate iwi and hapū aspirations into council’s strategic and operational work, Trewavas said.

“Without a seat at the table… Māori may feel they are having to work against the system rather than in partnership with leaders who understand them and their views.”

The trust board submission called the bill a “retrograde and racist step.”

“No other type of ward or constituency (including rural wards) requires a poll. The proposal appears intended to reignite divisive debates at the expense of Māori and has arisen from politicised misrepresentation of the effect and implication of Māori Wards,” it said.

As a whole, Ngāti Tūwharetoa whānau made significant contributions to the district, the submission said. The iwi was also a significant landowner and ratepayer.

“Fostering robust relationships between Ngāti Tūwharetoa and local government supports the achievement of outcomes that benefit the broader community and environment far beyond what local government can achieve independently.”

The trust board felt the ward’s representation appropriate as Māori in the district made up 30% of the population of 42,000 with 19% of the voting population on the Māori roll. 

Two Māori representatives out of 12 at the decision-making table equated to 17% representation – a proportionate level for the 19% on the Māori roll, the submission said. 

It noted the collective landholdings of Ngāti Tūwharetoa were estimated at 400,000 hectares though these are not wholly within the Taupō District’s estimated 697,000 ha. 

Current Te Papamārearea Māori ward councillor Danny Loughlin felt the ward served the same purpose as others. 

“It ensures that voters can elect councillors who understand their needs and can reflect their values at the council table. That’s why council unanimously called for a poll for the Māori ward at this year’s election to give our community that choice.”

The district had some of the lowest voting nationally at the last election, said Loughlin, and the Māori Ward turnout showed that Māori voters were even less engaged with the council. 

“We won’t know if the Māori Ward will be successful in increasing the number of Māori who vote until after the poll on it takes place. What we do know from the last two and a half years is that Māori wards didn’t give any special privileges to Māori voters. 

“What our community did get was a whole lot of skills, knowledge and experience that were sorely lacking at the council table. The network and connections that we bring is needed when dealing with complex issues like wastewater in Nukuhau and Tūrangi, expiring landfill consents and a second bridge crossing.”

Loughlin was hoping voters would look at the council’s track record rather than the voting intentions of individual candidates.

“The reality is we’ve been spending all our time dealing with Annual Plans and Long-Term Plans, which is the business of council, but with all the additional pressures of water reform and other matters it’s been a very difficult two and a half years.

“But there’s been a good mix around the table, and we’ve kept on top of things… I would argue that it’s been enhanced. I use my connections to ensure council can do a good job in terms of engagement. 

“If people can see themselves represented there that’s going to lead to better democracy.”

Mayoral candidates Trewavas and Kevin Taylor have both expressed a desire to see the ward continue while John Funnell has stated he will be voting against it. While Zane Cozens said he felt the ward had led to some good outcomes, he also questioned whether it was the best representation for all Māori people.