Māori ward to stay: Referendum to decide its future in 2028, 2031 elections

Horowhenua District Councillors: Standing: Ross Brannigan, chief executive Monique Davidson, David Allan (Deputy Mayor), Justin Tamihana, Rogan Boyle, Mayor Bernie Wanden, Paul Olsen, Alan Young, Piri-Hira Tukapua, Dr Jonathon Procter, Sam Jennings. Seated: Clinton Grimstone, Mike Barker, Nina Hori Te Pa.
The Horowhenua District Council has voted to keep its Māori ward at today’s council meeting – but it wasn’t a unanimous decision.
Today’s decision to keep the Māori ward, which has two councillors, Nina Hori Te Pa and Justin Tamihana, means a binding referendum must now be held alongside the local body elections next year.
At today’s meeting councillors received a decision report written by Grayson Rowse, Horowhenua District Council principal adviser, democracy, which stated the referendum is expected to cost up to $30,000. Regardless of the outcome decided by voters in that referendum, there will still be a Māori ward in the next council term.
Wanden moved a motion in favour of retaining the current representation arrangements, including the Horowhenua (Māori) ward, for the 2025 local body elections. The motion was seconded by councillor Alan Young.
Mayor Bernie Wanden said he saw significant value in having Māori ward councillors at the table, adding that they represented the entire community, not just one group.
The council had been “early adopters” of Māori wards, he said, and it had been a unanimous decision to establish them at the time.
“I just want to reaffirm the value of what Māori wards have brought to this table … it has been significant … They bring a valuable perspective or view.”
Deputy Mayor David Allan agreed.
“What a difference they have made to this table.”
Allan said he was confused by the present Government’s varying level of trust in local elected members.
The Government showed “total trust” in councillors when it came to making decisions around how many councillors there should be, or if they should have community boards, he said.
“I therefore have to express my confusion as to why the Government shows no trust in local representatives on one issue, and one issue alone.”
It was an “appalling situation” that council was in a position of having to single out Māori wards for a referendum, he said.
When the motion went to a vote, 11 elected members voted in favour, with councillors Mike Barker and Paul Olsen voting against it.
Barker and Olsen both said they voted against the Māori ward because they believed the public should have their say through a referendum, rather than elected members making the decision.

Before today’s meeting community feedback had been sought on the subject, with just over 500 people responding.
Rowse’s report noted 396 of the 513 responses were in favour of retaining the ward; 99% of respondents who were on the Māori roll were in favour of retaining the ward; and 62.7% of respondents on the general roll were in favour. Of all respondents, 88.1% had indicated they were currently enrolled to vote in the district, the report said.
If the answers from respondents who were not enrolled to vote in the district were removed, 74.6% of the remaining respondents were in favour of retaining the ward.
Te Tūmatakahuki Hapū chairman Shane Royal made a submission to the council in favour of retaining the ward, speaking to his submission at the meeting.
“Māori wards serve to address the historic under-representation of Māori in local government by providing a way for Māori to contribute to local decision-making and have direct representation at council.”
Te Tūmatakahuki Hapū represents 12 hapū and marae across the district. Royal said their marae and hapū members had welcomed the introduction of the Māori ward a couple of years ago.
“In the short time since the 2022 local election, we are aware of the positive contribution that our Māori ward councillors have made to the council, committees and constituents. Some Māori have said that having a person who looked like them, or shared their values, meant that they became more motivated to participate in local government matters and civic life.”
Royal said removing the Māori ward would have a negative impact on the community.
“It is important to our people that Māori representation at Horowhenua District Council – and the positive contributions that representation brings – is maintained and progressed for the benefit of our marae, hapū and future generations.”
During the discussion at today’s meeting, Māori ward councillor Justin Tamihana pointed out that having the two “extra” councillors didn’t cost ratepayers extra money.
Some of the feedback that had come in, he said, suggested people thought extra councillors came at an extra cost to ratepayers. However, the amount paid to councillors was set by the independent Remuneration Authority, which allocated a total pool amount to each council, to be split between the councillors as determined by the mayor.
“So my fellow councillors took a slight pay cut for me and Nina to be here.”