Council votes to retain Māori Wards
In yesterday's Council meeting, Elected Members voted to retain the Māori ward, Ngā Tapuae o Matangi. The resolution passed with a vote of 11-1 .
In May, Elected Members discussed and voted to formally set their views on Central Government’s proposed Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Constituencies) Amendment Bill.
The motion that Council ‘does not support the disestablishment of the Ngā Tapuae o Matangi Māori Ward' passed with a vote of 11-1.
On 31 July, the Local Government Commission advised that under the requirements of the new Act, all local authorities that established Māori wards ahead of the 2022 elections must make an active decision around their Māori Ward by 06 September 2024, regardless of whether they have made any decision on this prior to 31 July 2024. This meant that the Council could not defer to its decision on 16 May 2024 to satisfy the requirements of the Act.
The Council must now hold a binding poll at the 2025 Council elections asking the Community to vote to either:
- Retain the Māori Ward, or
- Disestablish the Māori Ward, which would take effect for the 2028 Council elections onwards (the Māori Ward would continue throughout the 2025-28 Council term).