Palmerston North has voted against creating separate Māori wards

Saturday, 19 May 2018

Don Esslemont organised the Palmerston North petition to challenge the creation of Māori wards.

Palmerston North people have spoken and more than two-thirds who voted were in opposition to creating separate Māori wards.

Results from a binding poll came in on Saturday night, with 14,567 voting against wards for the city council and 6530 voting for.

The percentage was 68.87 against and 30.88 per cent for.

The turnout was at 37.21 per cent of eligible voters, and 49 votes were counted as blank and four 'informal' votes received.

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There are still 117 special votes to be processed.

Palmerston North City councillor Aleisha Rutherford, who supported the local campaign for Māori wards, said Together: Kia Kotahi Mai was disappointed with the result.

'We have, however, been heartened by the number of people who have engaged with us through the campaign, to say that they have changed their mind and support representation of Māori on council.'

She said while they did not get the majority they needed, it showed they had had a huge shift in the number of people who support having a Māori voice on the council.

Don Esslemont, who organised the Palmerston North petition, said it was an excellent result.

'It was just about certain there would be a majority against. It would have been astounding if there were not.'

Esslemont said he was confident they would get more than 50 per cent against, but he was delighted with almost 70.

'I think it's a lesson for the mayor and councillors who voted for it.

'This demonstrates very clearly the great majority of Palmerston North [were against it].

'The mayor and councillors who supported Māori wards simply do not understand opinions in Palmerston North.

'[They] should be ashamed of their lack of understanding.'

He also said it was a good example of why Parliament should not do away with the law that allows people to petition for a poll.

Previously, he said in all but one case nationally where a referendum had been been held, votes had gone against Māori wards, usually by about 70 to 80 per cent.

The exception was a 2016 vote that had 54 per cent in favour of Māori wards for Wairoa District Council.

Palmerston North City Council and Manawatū District Council passed decisions late last year for Māori wards to be set up in time for the next local body elections, in 2019. This would allow voters registered on the national Māori electoral roll to vote for council candidates in a separate Māori ward or wards.

However, both councils' decisions were challenged by petitions, with enough residents' signatures collected to force binding referendums.

In Manawatū District, voters came out more than three-to-one in opposition to creating separate Māori wards.

Results came in on Tuesday, with 7062 voting against, and 2038 in favour.

Some 43 per cent of electors cast a vote, with 18 votes counted as blank and one 'informal'.