Marlborough councillors are to vote on whether to hold a referendum on keeping the council’s Māori ward.
If they don’t agree to hold a referendum, the ward must be abolished.
It has been described by the region’s first Māori ward councillor as frustrating and heartbreaking.
The Government last week passed its third reading of its Māori ward bill, which meant councils with the ward are now legally required to poll residents, or scrap the ward altogether.
Marlborough mayor Nadine Taylor confirmed the council would vote at a committee meeting before the September 6 deadline about whether it will hold the poll alongside the 2025 local government election, usually in October.
Most of Marlborough’s council voted in favour of establishing a Māori ward in May 2021. One councillor was absent for the vote, and the only person to vote against it was Blenheim ward councillor Jamie Arbuckle, who was also a New Zealand First MP.
Taylor acknowledged it was a different council to the previous one which voted for the Māori ward.
“It’s no secret we had nearly 50% turnover of councillors at the last election, so 50% hadn’t sat around the table when the original decision was made,” Taylor said.
“Of course one of those new councillors who has brought great benefit to council is the Māori ward councillor.”
Allanah Burgess (Te Ātiawa, Ngāi Tahu), Marlborough’s first Māori ward councillor, said the Government had failed to recognise the positive changes that had come about through the establishment of Māori wards.
“I am disappointed, I am frustrated, I am over the actions of our coalition government,” she said.
“Their discriminatory treatment of Māori is leading to further division of Māori and non-Māori communities.
“While a referendum may be seen as a democratic process, it is deeply troubling that Māori are being singled out in this manner.”
She said the focus should be on maintaining the Māori ward to continue fostering equity and strengthen community relationships.
“It is not a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils; rather, it is about recognising and respecting the established Māori ward without subjecting it to discriminatory treatment.
“I will continue to advocate for this seat and our communities — all of them. It has been said before, and I will reiterate now, that what is good for Māori is good for all people.
“There is nothing to fear from having a Māori seat. I continue to trust in our Marlborough community and believe that we will move forward together, stand for ourselves, support equity, and ensure the continuation of a Māori ward seat on our local council.”
She said kōrero around Māori wards had created tension at the council.
“Some councillors have supported the central government’s actions and have become awkward or distant towards me, followed by a ‘sorry this is happening’,” she said.
“Everyone is entitled to their vote, but if they feel the need to apologise for it later, what does that say?”
Burgess joined the council for the first time alongside three Blenheim ward councillors, Matt Flight, Jonathan Rosene and Deborah Delliessi, two new Marlborough Sounds ward councillors, Ben Minehan and Raylene Innes and two Wairau-Awatere ward councillors, Scott Adams and Sally Arbuckle.
Arbuckle said despite voting against the initial inception of the Māori ward, he thought a referendum was the “right avenue”.
“Obviously I’m in Government as well, the process that’s been set up there, to let voters decide if a Māori ward is what they want, is the way to go about it,” he said.
“Basically that was the argument a few years ago, constituents didn’t really have the chance to have that level of input.”
Arbuckle was the deputy chairperson of the Government’s Justice Select Committee, which heard submissions on the bill.
“I had to chair most of those hearings over in Wellington. What I heard from that process is that probably a lot of areas in New Zealand will vote for a Māori ward.
“So I think there will be a lot of yes votes around the country.”
Rangitāne o Wairau kaiwhakahaere matua (general manager) Corey Hebberd said the outcome was disappointing.
The iwi had submitted to the select committee against the bill.
“We don’t see Māori wards as any different to rural wards. This takes away the power and treats Māori wards differently,” Hebberd said.
“We’ve seen the benefits of having a representative from the Māori community around the council decision-making table.
“This is a step backwards.”
In a statement, Local Government minister Simeon Brown said on Tuesday the Government had delivered upon one of its key promises to New Zealanders by restoring the rights of communities to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
