Te Arawa group says No to Rotorua Maori wards | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

Rotorua will not see the establishment of separate Maori wards for at least the next two local body elections - or after the 2016 election.

Members of the Rotorua District Council's Te Arawa standing committee debated the issue of Maori wards at a meeting yesterday.

In her report to the committee, the council's deputy electoral officer Kathy Phillips said a little more than one-third of the district's population was Maori and the council had consulted Te Arawa extensively in 2005 on the issue of Maori wards. At the time, Te Arawa decided not to include Maori wards.

Mrs Phillips said in her report about 21.5 per cent (9546) of electors in the district were registered on the Maori electoral roll, meaning the city could have a maximum of three Maori wards.

Councillor Maureen Waaka said she did not support having Maori wards because Te Arawa had already decided against them.

"The by-election could put another Maori on to council as well. When you stand for council you represent everyone - not a particular group," she said.

But committee member Potaua Biasiny-Tule said the Maori minority was constantly overlooked by the Pakeha majority and Maori wards would give some of the power back to Maori.

"I want more of our people engaged, not less," he said.

Rotorua deputy mayor Trevor Maxwell said his view on Maori wards had not changed and he did not support their inclusion.

"I believe in our district we have grown up, we eliminated the ward system to go at large and I would prefer anyone who comes to this council to have a mandate from all of the people, not just a portion of the community," Mr Maxwell said.

Committee member Kingi Biddle said he supported Maori wards as a matter of right.

"Our tupuna [ancestors] would want us to have more of a say. We may be a small portion but we are the portion that gave [Rotorua] the land to build a city," he said.

Arapeta Tahana said he was disappointed with the little period of time the committee had to make its decision.

"This is a significant issue, Maori want more representation and this is an opportunity for a pure Maori view to go into the mix."

At the end of the debate, committee members voted 4-3 against the setting up of Maori wards. Arapeta Tahana, Potaua Biasiny-Tule and Kingi Biddle voted for the inclusion of Maori wards while Trevor Maxwell, Maureen Waaka, Rene Mitchell and new committee member Waereti Tait-Rolleston voted against the wards.

Rotorua Mayor Kevin Winters abstained from voting and committee member Roku Mihinui was absent from the meeting.