According to some estimates, the Toitū te Tiriti march drew around 100,000 people to the steps of Parliament, a rallying call against policies that adversely affect Māori.
But how do Māori turn that powerful statement into action where it truly matters—at the voting booths, both nationally and locally?
That was the question being asked by some at a hui called in Hamilton to address the issue of low voter turnout for Māori at local elections.
Māori Ward representative for the Hamilton City Council, Maria Te Aukaha Huata, was among the thousands who marched to Parliament.
Huata acknowledged the admirable effort behind the meeting between Waikato councilors and iwi representatives but highlighted the absence of key age groups eligible to vote.
“Where are all our rangatahi today?” Huata asked. “We can’t talk about them when they’re not here. So, let’s think about that the next time we have a wānanga.”
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss actions for addressing historically low voter turnout and introducing measures to enhance participation.
A kaumātua from Hamilton, who attended with his wife, emphasized the significance of their presence at the meeting, noting his limited understanding of the voting process for regional and city councils.
“I didn’t vote because I think we’re just taking it for granted. So, I think we’re here to learn something about encouraging our people to vote,” he said.
In the 2022 local and regional council elections, voter turnout in the Waikato region averaged 38%, mirroring the 2007 baseline but still below national averages.
Hamilton City saw the lowest turnout at 29%, while Taupō and Thames-Coromandel districts exceeded 50%.
Hamilton City councilor Muna Wharawhara emphasized that the strategic meeting was a chance to set goals beyond just Hamilton City.
“These are some of the questions we want to put on the table today: How can we get our people to participate in elections? Not just locally, but nationally as well.”
“Me haere tahi tātou ā-pakeke, ā-rangatahi, ā-kōhungahunga.”
E ai ki ngā tatauranga, o ngā 19,000 kaipōti kei raro i te 24 tau te pakeke, i te taone nui o Kirikiriroa, kāore i eke i te haurua o aua rangatahi i tuku pōti ā-kaunihera i te tau rua mano rua tekau mā rua.
Hei tā Huata, me tīmata rātou ki te wānanga ēnei kōrero ki te tēpu kai.
“Ahakoa he pēpi, kia noho Māori ai tēnei āhuatanga ki roto i a tātou. Kia tae atu ki te wā o te pōti kua mōhio rawatia mātou me aha?”
E kī ana a Peata Graham, tētahi o ngā kaikaunihera rangatahi o Waikato, he āwangawanga nui te korenga o te hunga rangatahi, e puta ana ki te pōti.
“Ki te kore au e mahi ana ki te kaunihera, me pono aku kōrero kāore au e mōhio i tētehi mea mō te pōtitanga mō te kaunihera.”
Nā, he mahi nui kei mua i tēnei hunga ki te whakatenatena i ngā kaipōti ki te tuku i āna pōti ā-Kaunihera i mua i ngā pōtihanga i tēnei tau.
