South Wairarapa Mayor Alex Beijen says the council decided against establishing a Māori ward for the 2022 elections but would be discussing the possibility for the district in 2025.
A hīkoi through Martinborough on Thursday voiced concerns over South Wairarapa District Council's lack of a Māori ward. Photo: LDR / Wairarapa Times Age / Marcus Anselm
Protesters halted work at the South Wairarapa District Council (SWDC) offices on Thursday as the deadline for establishing a Māori ward loomed.
Dozens of pro-ward activists debated with chief executive Harry Wilson inside the Martinborough headquarters for 20 minutes.
Beijen was not present, but SWDC did present a statement outlining that he was in favour of wards, but "significant groundwork is still required before a fully informed report can be presented to council".
Laws requiring polling and referendum requirements for Māori ward establishment were repealed earlier this year.
Before that, Wairoa, in Hawke's Bay, was the only district with a Māori ward in the country.
Since the rule changes, dozens of councils had moved to follow.
Masterton was among at least 25 authorities to vote in favour of Māori wards this month, as Friday's deadline approached.
However, Beijen said SWDC chose not to, despite he and other councillors being "strongly supporting" the concept.
Yesterday [Friday, May 21], SWDC posted a letter on the council's website from Beijen.
It was a response to a letter to SWDC, sent on Wednesday signed by the heads of Wairarapa's four iwi entities, calling for the establishment of a ward by the May 21 deadline.
It was signed by Tiraumaera Te Tau, chair of Rangitāne o Wairarapa, Hera Edwards, her counterpart at Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Robin Potangaroa, of Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki Nui-a-Rua Settlement Trust, and co-chairs of Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā Sonya Rimene and Lewis Karaitiana.
"We hear you, and we are listening."
"Council decided against the establishment of Māori wards for the 2022 elections after careful consideration," Beijen said.
"We felt that a long lead time was needed to engage with our Māori and broader community before we could make such an important decision.
"However, we do not have an understanding of what our wider community thinks.
"We need to educate and engage the whole community on what it would mean to introduce Māori wards in our district, and the benefits representation on council would bring. This all takes time, and we will be looking at doing this as soon as we can.
"Unfortunately, it was simply not possible for us, given where we are on the journey, to engage meaningfully with our community in the short timeframe from March 2021, when government transitional arrangements came into effect, and May 21, the deadline for having the wards for the 2022 local election."
He said other councils were much "further along their journey".
"The opportunity presented by the amendments to the Local Electoral Act 2001 have been taken up by those ready to do so.
"We look forward to working towards this goal for the 2025 elections."
Beijen said councillors would receive a report on a potential new ward, with a proposed timeline, at the council's meeting on 2 June.
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