Council votes to keep Rangiātea Māori Ward amid strong support

   Added 5 days ago

Ōtorohanga District Council (ŌDC) made a significant decision today to keep the Rangiātea Māori Ward, following strong support from our Elected Members and Iwi partners. Council decided to continue having two of our 10 members elected by voters on the Māori Electoral Roll.

This decision is a result of the governments change in legislation requiring councils who adopted Māori Wards under Labours Māori Ward Amendment Act 2021 that removed the provision that had previously allowed communities to veto Māori wards in a vote.  Affected Councils need to choose, by 6 September 2024, whether to keep or remove Māori Wards. The new rules also state that Councils who decide to keep Māori Wards, must hold a binding referendum alongside the 2025 local elections, which they will need to fund themselves.

Feedback from those who attended a pre hui on retaining the Rangiātea Māori Ward was overwhelmingly positive. Many speakers praised the current system and expressed concern that losing the ward would diminish Māori representation and community mana. The support from our Iwi partners reflected a strong desire to maintain the existing representative structure.

Mayor Max Baxter spoke about the importance of the Māori Ward system, saying:

"Today’s decision reaffirms our commitment to a representative system that values Māori voices and enriches our community. Ōtorohanga has long benefited from a strong partnership with Māori, and the Rangiātea Māori Ward is a testament to this enduring relationship. By keeping the ward, we ensure that Māori perspectives continue to play a crucial role in our governance. Our history of collaboration with Māori is a source of great pride, and we are dedicated to upholding this tradition for the benefit of all our residents."

Ōtorohanga District Council remains committed to ensuring Māori voices are heard and will provide updates throughout this process.