A Gisborne councillor says Māori wards are key to making sure that local iwi are represented.
Gisborne district councillor Meredith Akuhata-Brown. Photo: Aaron van Delden
A proposed change to the Local Electoral Act would remove any use of public polls to confirm the establishment of any Māori ward.
It was being scrutinised at the Māori Affairs Select Committee on Friday.
Gisborne councillor Meredith Akuhata-Brown doesn't herself whakapapa to the region she represents, but said that Māori wards would ensure a voice for local iwi and hapū.
"This is about understanding the wealth of knowledge, the Maramataka, mātauranga and Te Ao Māori tikanga, and actually our true ancesteral, generational gifted knowledge," she told Morning Report.
It was also an opportunity for people to learn from such knowledge, she said.
"I see this as actually an opportunity for people to understand that for a long time the knowledge of the landscape we've been gifted to govern, elected to govern.
"There's actually local people who are from the land that have generational knowledge passed down to them, and who have always had to come to council to make submissions, to constantly battle in this space to be heard."
She said Māori wards would help cut down on fees for consultants hired by council to speak with local manawhenua - effectively cutting out the middle man.
"When it comes to set knowledge about landscape, around how our awa have moved, even with regard to whenua that have been used as dumps.
"All of these things that come up for council to deliberate on, this is a time now where a lot of our whanau from the landscape that has been challenged, or been pillaged, have been transformed through a capitalist model as such."
She said she was expecting some "really strong conversations" about what was right for the region.
"If we keep talking about who sits around those tables, having manawhenua, having people from the local iwi and hapū sit at the council table with that knowledge, in my view is going to be such a benefit."
The Ruapehu District Council has also welcomed legislation to get rid of binding community polls on Māori wards.
It made a submission on the issue to the Māori Affairs select committee.
Chief executive Clive Manley said councils were elected because they represented the views of their constituents.
He said he firmly believed councils were capable of consulting with Maori and the community to reach a consensus, and should be allowed to.
Manley said polls were unfortunately like social media, in that people could be driven by unreasoned emotion and easily swayed. He said he would support removing all public polls on these types of issues.