Ruapehu councillors clear on backing Māori ward

Councillors left no doubt about their own feelings at a community meeting in Ohakune on whether to scrap or keep their Ruapehu Māori ward.

"It's been great having Māori councillors," councillor David (Rabbit) Nottage told Wednesday night's meeting.

"Don't be scared, mate - if you think the world's going to fall apart because we're going to keep Māori wards, well you're on the wrong planet."

Councillor Robyn Gram said the council took a huge step forward to introduce Māori seats.

"You should always leave something better than you found it. Ruapehu district with Māori colleagues contributing and making our place better does just that, it leaves it better."

The meeting was the first of two called by Ruapehu District Council to canvas views before it makes a formal decision next month on whether to keep or remove its three Māori ward seats.

Under new law, councils that established a Māori ward from 2020 without a referendum have until 6 September to either scrap the ward or hold a binding public poll during the 2025 local elections.

Mayor Weston Kirton said the council had been clear about wanting to retain its Māori ward but had not yet made a formal decision.

All six general and three Māori ward councillors stood at the meeting to advocate for the ward.

"Since our Māori councillors have been around our table, we've all learnt and experienced so much," Gram said. "If the decision is made not to have Māori representation, it will be a huge step back. That's not what we want for Ruapehu."

Councillor Lyn Neeson said they've chosen Māori wards and it's worked.

"We've made stronger decisions because they are here. We do all come from our own perspective but we listen to each other and we make the decisions collectively.

"As a collective, we want to vote to continue Māori wards. Fifty percent of our population is Māori. We think it's unfair there has to be a referendum and it's binding."

Councillor Janelle Hinch said Māori ward councillors - introduced in 2022 - played a significant role in decision-making, community engagement and overall effectiveness.

"They enrich decisions with cultural insights and historical context specific to our district that as Pākehā we don't necessarily know.

"It creates a direct and dedicated channel for Māori communication and strengthens the relationship between council and Māori."

Māori ward councillor Channey Iwikau urged the community to stand with the council to defend Māori seats.

"We need all our people to stand up … all the people of the district. We're in this together."

Helen Leahy, pouārahi/chief executive of Nga Waihua o Paerangi, the operational arm of local iwi Ngāti Rangi, told the meeting the changes were "another case of legislation which is a direct attack on Māori".

"It's a retrograde step which represents so much of what has happened over last 10 months."

She said the community had already decided a Māori ward would work in the Ruapehu district.

"What we have done in this community by enabling Māori wards is about participation, protection, and the notion of partnership.

"It's about working with [iwi collective] Te Korowai o Wainuiārua, Ngāti Rangi, [local iwi] Ngāti Haua, marae, whānau in way that means Māori are involved in decision-making."

Leahy urged the council and community to continue to fight "for what is right".

Te Korowai o Wainuiārua chair Aiden Gilbert said the district needed to consider "what is right and what is possible" in terms of partnership and working together as a community.

The council will decide whether to keep or disestablish the Māori ward after hearing public submissions at the second meeting in Taumarunui on 4 September.

The meeting will be an extended public forum where community leaders, iwi representatives, residents and ratepayer societies and community board chairs will be invited to present the views of their respective communities.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air