The shape of Whangārei's political landscape is set to dramatically change after a clutch of district councillors today failed in their bid to block the introduction of Māori wards.
Whangārei district councillor Phil Halse speaks against his council's November decision for Māori wards. Photo: LDR Northland / Susan Botting
Whangārei District Council (WDC) councillors Vince Cocurullo, Shelley Deeming, Phil Halse, Greg Martin and Simon Reid at today's livestreamed March council meeting failed to get their council's original November decision in favour of Māori wards dumped.
Mayor Sheryl Mai said today's 8:5 vote against rescinding the original decision embedded new Māori wards representation.
Whangārei District Council councillor Gavin Benney speaks in favour of Māori wards at today's council meeting. Photo: Northern Advocate / Michael Cunningham
The eight councillors who today voted against overturning WDC's original decision were Mai, Deputy Mayor Greg Innes and councillors Gavin Benney, Nick Connop, Ken Couper, Tricia Cutforth, Anna Murphy and Carol Peters - the same people who on 3 November voted for Māori wards.
Whangārei District Council councillor Vince Cocurullo lobbies to overturn WDC Māori seats decision. Photo: Northern Advocate / Michael Cunningham
Meanwhile, the five Cocurullo-led councillors who today set out to overturn WDC's original Māori wards decision also voted against their introduction in November. This original 8:6 vote included councillor Jayne Golightly who voted not to bring in Māori wards but did not attend today's council meeting.
Cocurullo said after today's meeting he was disappointed his quintet's bid had failed.
"It's a disappointment for democracy," Cocurullo said.
Mai said the fact WDC's November decision for Māori wards had not been overturned reinforced the council's original decision.
An intense and sometimes emotional more than two hour livestreamed Māori wards debate included Mai having to ask the packed public gallery to respect council meeting protocol and not interject. By edition time, the livestreamed meeting had been watched more than 3500 times.
A 5133 signature Democracy Northland Māori wards poll demand petition delivered to today's meeting by former WDC councillor Frank Newman, came in support of the Cocurullo-led quintet's blocking efforts.
Newman said the petition's 5133 signatures represented 8.3 percent of Whangārei's registered voters, the largest paper-based petition delivered to WDC.
"The public want to be involved in this decision and feel very strongly that they should (be)," Newman told the meeting.
Government changes to the Local Electoral Act on 1 March mean the petition signatures gathered prior to the change are no longer valid.
Te Kāpehu Whetū students' spontaneous haka in support of Māori wards vote. Photo: LDR Northland / Susan Botting
Today's decision was greeted with spontaneous haka from Whangārei's Te Kāpehu Whetū, led by head girl Tikarohia Te Marama Henare.
Mai said she hoped debate around the decision brought community engagement in the representation review process.
"I'm hoping this has elevated the thinking and discussion and engagement of the people of Whangārei," Mai said.
"I am really looking forward to the representation review process."
Getting past today's challenge means WDC now moves into a new-look council for the next local government elections in 2022. The Māori wards decision has triggered a full-scale district-wide representation review, a requirement when these wards are brought in.
Mai earlier said this would be WDC's biggest-ever representation review discussion.
The number of Māori and general wards, total number of councillors, how they are elected, ward boundaries and whether there should be community boards will be among representation features now under the spotlight.
The next step will be a council representation review briefing on 1 April.
Te Kāpehu Whetū head boy Zion Bryers prepares to hongi Whangārei Mayor Sheryl Mai after the meeting decision for Māori wards. Photo: LDR Northland / Susan Botting
"I am happy about the council's decision for Māori wards, we need Māori representation in council," Te Kāpehu Whetū head boy and Year 13 student Zion Bryers said after attending the meeting, his first.
Fellow Te Kāpehu Whetū Year 13 student Erina Paraha said listening to the council Māori wards debate had at times been heartbreaking.
"It was heartbreaking to think (that some people said) the council shouldn't have Māori wards," Paraha said.
Aorangi Kawiti outside the council after today's Māori wards decision which she said offered a new relationship of trust between council and local Māori. Photo: LDR Northland / Susan Botting
Ngunguru's Aorangi Kawiti, a WDC Te Kārearea Strategic Partnership Forum Standing Committee member praised today's decision.
Whangārei Māori should now become involved.
"Prepare to represent, to stand, to vote in Māori wards," Kawiti said.
"Understand the processes involved so you can teach your children."