Māori Ward resolution 'just the first step' for Nelson

Thursday, 13 May 2021

The Nelson City Council has voted to introduce a Māori Ward for the next council elections.

Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese fought back tears as she described the decision to set up a Māori Ward in Nelson 'as a chance to put things right”.

At a meeting at Civic House on Thursday morning, councillors voted strongly in favour of the decision, which would set the wheels in motion for a Māori Ward to be set up in Nelson in time for the 2022 local government elections.

This would also have a flow-on effect for the next election, requiring a ward system to be set up – with one or more general wards to go along with the Māori Ward.

Prior to the meeting, the Te Tauihu Iwi Chairs Forum, which represents eight iwi at the top of the south, unanimously expressed their support for Māori Wards at the Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough councils.

* Taupō confirms Maori wards for next two local elections

* Nelson Māori Ward not recommended to council due to expected public opposition

Speaking after the meeting, Ngāti Kuia chairman Waihaere Mason said it was a “momentous” occasion for all Te Tauihu iwi.

Iwi representatives and Nelson City Councillors together after the Nelson City Council meeting, where councillors voted to introduce a Maori Ward for the 2022 local body elections.

“To be included in the decision-making of our community – it gives credence to the Treaty of Waitangi.”

Mason said the most important change was the way iwi would be involved in the decision-making process.

“To have a direct say in governance is far more important than being consulted all the time.

“It’s a shift in emphasis in the way iwi deal with the affairs of the community, from a reactive to a proactive stance – that’s the important step.”

Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese spoke in favour of establishing a Māori Ward for the 2022 council election.

Addressing council at the meeting, Ngāti Rārua chairperson Olivia Hall said it was hard to express “how much this means to us”.

“It’s not a political move, it’s around an equal power-sharing of one seat at your table, that Māori get to choose for themselves.”

Speaking in favour of the resolution, Mayor Rachel Reese said the establishment of a Māori Ward would be in the best interests of the whole of the Nelson community.

Mayor Reese was emotional when she described “a sense of pain for me that I have not been able to address this injustice over many many years”.

“This is only one step forward, but it is a critically important step forward.

“Having Māori included in our decision-making improves outcomes for all in the community. There is only one right thing to do today and I encourage all of you to support a decision to establish a Māori Ward.'

The decision was made at a full meeting of the Nelson City Council at Civic House on Thursday.

During the debate a strong majority of councillors expressed their support for the proposal.

While there were some who expressed reservations about its implementation, others said they felt the resolution did not go far enough.

Councillor Mel Courtney said the proposal had come far too late, and did not extend far enough to realise his dream 'of two partners walking alongside one another on equal footing”.

Councillor Rohan O’Neill-Stevens said while the decision was the right one and long overdue, there was “so much we still need to change after this”.

Councillors Rachel Sanson and Brian McGurk spoke strongly in support of the Māori Ward proposal. McGurk said the decision was a step towards a “more representative, diverse and better council”.

Councillor Tim Skinner said while he supported the proposal, he had concerns about how it would be implemented in practice.

Under the current arrangement, Māori Ward voters and general voters would be distinguished. Only those on the Māori roll could stand as candidates and vote in the Maori Ward – but would not then be able to vote in the general ward elections (and vice versa).

“This concerns me, I do have fears that this – as well meaning as it is – may drive a wedge in the community,” Skinner said.

Councillor Gaile Noonan said the community should have been consulted on the proposal through the Long Term Plan, and said she felt the decision had been rushed in order to meet the May 21 deadline for the Māori Ward to be included in the 2022 elections.

“We need to acknowledge there are different views in the community … they won’t go away if you don’t talk about them.

“We’re not going to move forward together unless you have those conversations.”

In 2012, council passed a resolution to set up a Maori Ward, which was shut down by public referendum.

Under the old rules, that were changed this year, if a resolution for a Maori Ward was passed, the public had the right to demand a poll to countermand it – if five per cent of electors called for it.

In the 2012 ballot a total of 15,638 votes were received, with 79 per cent voting against the proposal and 20 per cent voting for it.

At Thursday’s meeting, Reese did not call for a division (where each councillor puts for their vote individually) to vote on the decision, but called on council “to vote with our voice”.

While she asserted the vote was carried unanimously – it did not appear that all councillors spoke in favour of the proposal.

After the meeting it was confirmed that councillors Noonan and Yvonne Bowater abstained from the vote.