Whakatāne District Council has unanimously voted to retain its Māori wards after next year’s local government elections.
Whakatāne joins the ranks of Stratford, Kawerau, Gisborne, and Palmerston North as those who’ve decided to keep their Māori wards.
As of now, Kaipara is the only council to vote to remove it.
Kāpū-te-rangi Māori ward councillor, Toni Boynton, told Te Ao Māori News she was pleased with the outcome.
“It’s all really a big mihi to the work that has been done by the council over recent years and their courage to establish Māori wards in 2021.
“[It’s] really just an acknowledgement of the māhi that’s been done and the realisation of how positive Māori wards has been for our council and our community,” she said.
Toi ki Uta Māori ward councillor Ngapera Rangiaho was happy to have the support of the other councillors.
“Kei te harikoa te ngākau ki te rongo atu ki te rongo atu kei te tautokona mai aku hoa mahi, ērā o ngā kai kaunihera e kī ana, me taki noho te kaunihera Māori i roto i tēnā o tō tātou rohe
”I’m happy to learn we’ve got support from my colleagues, those councillors who have said that Māori wards are to remain in our district.”
“It’s great news it’s awesome,” Rangiaho told Te Ao Māori news.
The future of Māori wards for many councils across the country are still up in the air after the coalition government introduction of the Local Government Amendment Bill 2024 on July 30, 2024.
The new legislation mandates that councils must hold a binding poll during the 2025 local elections if they established Māori wards without a poll after the 2021 amendment to the act or choose to disestablish their Māori wards for the 2025 elections.
Councils need to decide by September 6 on whether to retain or disestablish Māori wards.
Rangitāiki Māori Ward councillor, Tu O’Brien, has been asked for comment.