Only 2 of the 45 Local Councils with Māori Wards have capitulated to the Government’s ant-Māori, anti-Treaty agenda by crushing Māori representation. This represents the single largest open rebellion against Central Government policy local Government has ever staged.
The genuine resentment from those at the coal face of community decision making that they must quash Māori representation is one thing, but to then be forced to hold a costly binding referendum that will decide the rights of the minority manages to add insult to injury.
This has created a unique situation where Local Councils are in open revolt against the Minister. Simeon Brown has responded with hollow threats that the Councils must now hold a binding referendum, but the Councils are instead checking their legal position to see what would happen if they defied him.
It is ironic that National preach localism over centralism until the locals don’t want to do what the central power tells them.
National have used their anti-Māori and anti-Treaty rhetoric to win over reactionary Kiwis, but how far are they prepared to go to actually enforce that anti-Māori, anti-Treaty rhetoric?
Will the Minister really sack every Council to enforce a binding referendum that will enscite race conflict?
The National Party seems to have bitten off more than they can chew.
Martyn – The upcoming referendums on those Maori ward seats will provide insight into how NZers feel about those seats…Local Councils need to sell people on the benefit of those seats and stop calling people racist.
Can you explain how and why the majority voting on minority rights is anything other than tyranny?
You strike me as the kind of person who argues that because 51% vote to kill the other 49%, then that is ok.
Your ZB talking points need work
NZ needs a constitutional settlement that formalises and recognises the treaty and the spirit of partnership that it implies. A sophisticated political conversation that recognises that NZ should be a more “nuanced democracy with NZ characteristics”
But…the dog whistling from ACT allows no room for this politically and sadly positions have now become entrenched.
Upside Down – Exactly! Thank you
Er, democracy. The least bad system
We both know that Brown is demanding a referendum because all councils are set up with a red neck majority hence the reason many very good Maori are never voted into council .My local council had one Wahine voted on a couple of elections ago but she never stood for reelection because of the toxic environment she had to endure .
Gosh I’m shocked gw.
Gosh you’re an idiot Bob the bullshitter.
Golly NSC go easy old chap I’m a sensitive person.
We have had a Maori ward in New Plymouth for 3 years and the sky hasn’t fallen on our heads
The general opinion is that the council is as stupid, greedy and incompetent as ever. Only good for raising our rates and captured by a group that hates cars and loves the non existent bicyclists.
However if we are forced into a referendum the ward will probably go just because, you know, it’s the Maoris, Special privileges, We are all one people, that sort of crap.
I wish I lived in a country where 73 local councils had the balls to say “No. We won’t hold a referendum” But that is not NZ.
100% correct.And the sky may well fall when Maori dont have a voice .
Ok Chicken Little.
Me too! What’s wrong with them? Surely, they can just defy the govt. on this. What would happen?
Given how few actually vote in local elections and we know who the voters are, it’s obv. a trap set up by govt. to ensure Māori wards are dumped.
I forget when we had the referendum to allow women onto councils, or even men! Oh, never!!!!!!!
And why is it ok to have other wards on council instead of a council wide vote where the highest polling people are elected .If you need 10 councilors just take the top 10 regardless where they live .The current system is set up so red neck white farmers dominate councils every where except the large cities .
Peter – Good to learn…
I am proud that 43 councils have opted to retain their Maori Wards. I am not Maori but believe Maori voices should be heard at all levels of governance. Re the referendum, democracy is no perfect system and like you Martyn I do worry about a possible tyranny of the majority over the minority. Hopefully as a society we are better than that.
Be a very ballsy council that
A Deliberately breaks the law and loses their income
B Totally and deliberately pisses off a possibly large majority of their constituents
Dunedin and Wellington maybe but the government would love the excuse and there aren’t any right wing votes to lose !
the rate payers are the income not central government so business as usual.
Māori Wards extend local democracy, and increase participation of a group that largely avoided District Council affairs like the plague–and who could blame them, white coots in suits representing local business. A number of pākehā Councillors have now had a glimpse into the Māori world and seen the positive features and actually met names they had just feared or been suspicious of before.
Non Māori could learn from this and get involved in local Govt. also, that is the only way better funding and all the other needs will happen.
It will be a joy to watch this Rebellion of Councils against Central Govt..
Extend democracy by being undemocratic? The Orwellian is strong
I am happy to have a Maori voice at the table but if it is not the will of the majority then it will not achieve much and will continue to be a bone of contention.
It may make more get out and vote esp
Good for you Trevor, it seems like most of NZ want Maori at the table judging by the results of Councils on Maori wards. What we don’t want is Simeon trying to bully councils as that falls under the heading of dictatorship.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/far-north-mayor-moko-tepania-says-government-should-pay-for-maori-ward-referendums-on-the-tiles/ZKVXQI7JD5EC3H6QUUFPUNWSXQ/
Fuck off Simeon Brown in other words and quite rightly too.
What’s stopping them from being elected like the rest of us? What about a Korean voice for the north shore or a Chinese one for Botany?
Why are you triggered by them?
And it’s South Africa on the north shore
Neither of your very poor examples are indigenous to our country. Educate yourself.
The councils should take a stand and stop paying GST to the government on mass .However as the most councils are taken over by right wing pakeha that will never happen because they feel they need to kiss Browns arse for some reason .I notice they are all moving toward the amalgamation that Labour was suggesting and are adopting the 3 waters plan that will end up having 10 or 12 water entities in the next 10 years if not sooner .
SURELY those Councils (all two? of them) who have scrapped Maori Wards MUST HOLD A REFERENDUM on whether the Wards should be re-instated. If not the bias is so clear as to be impossible to ignore!!
Yes, those two councils should be the ones required to hold referenda.
They acted with no consultation to change the status quo. It’s they who should have to prove their actions were correct.
Can someone confirm I am not wrong; Councils are the decision makers if they decide to scrap Maori Wards – no need to go to the people, BUT Councils are not the decision makers if they decide to retain the Maori Wards OH NO then they must put the vote to the people.
Isn’t this becoming a little too blatant?
That is a very good point IMHO, one that many of us have missed so far.
Lets say it again re Māori Wards…
Scrap them–no vote required
Keep them–vote required…
Well Trev, you have illuminated the very point there…it is not about the numerical majority of non Māori “approving” of this local democracy. It is about educating non Māori on the history of this country and seeing the virtue of such participation and forums. The Tiriti is a founding document, and Reo Māori an official Parliament endorsed language of the original inhabitants (colonised by swamping of settlers, and land theft enforced by armed Red Coats).
Seymour wants to turn the clock back, and remove Iwi power because it is an obstacle to Corporate raping and pillaging of Aotearoa NZ.
The Treaty – article one, the crown is sovereign. Article three all are equal citizens etc.
Where the bit that says democratic and disproportionate voting rights?
I must have missed it
Almost twelve months after these morons were ‘elected’ what have they achieved?
Other than baldylocks the pm pocketing $484,200 and semen brown $227,755 what else have they achieved? I must ask; other than a gag response in me every time I look at them what have they actually done for me? And remember. The measure of a good democratically elected politician is how they perform for those most at risk because otherwise and again by definition, their governance is nothing more nor less than fascism. Those two masturbating hand holders aren’t politicians. They’re little bitches to the 14 multi-billionaires, the 3118 multi-millionaires and the four now foreign owned banks stealing $180.00 a second 24/7/365 net FROM YOU making those banks the second most profitable in the world because they, in cahoots with the real estate *racketteers have made housing affordability impossible without you making the four foreign owned banks the second most profitable in the world.
How does that make you feel?
Wikipedia:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeering
Racketeering is a type of organized crime in which the perpetrators set up a coercive, fraudulent, extortionary, or otherwise illegal coordinated scheme or operation (a “racket”) to repeatedly or consistently collect a profit.[1]
Sound familiar?
I live in a area that has voted to retain Maori Wards and hold a referendum as required.
Of the 12 elected members 2 voted against. The Mayor reversed his previous position and voted for while saying the 2 current Maori Ward councillors were valuable members of his council.
He then went on to say that he would vote against them in the referendum as he did not believe they were required.
This at the same time as the council had ignored the majority of submitters from it’s statutory 6 yearly representation review that supported 8 at large councillors and 2 Maori Wards.
In addition they continue to support the election of 6 councillors and a Chairperson to a rural board that in effect gives those of us that live in rural wards 4 votes. 1 for general wards, 1 for Mayor, 1 for rural ward and one for rural chair.
So much for one person one vote. Our house gets 8 votes, if we were in the city we would get 4 votes
For the life of me I cannot see why we can have rural boards who actually do sweet all without a referendum but Maori Wards are not afforded the same rights. Oh right it’s racism.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350414745/former-national-party-minister-accused-historic-child-sex-abuse
Simeon Brown would be in trouble with this guy with his boy hood looks.
Unsurprisingly it was a right wing National party minister Bob the first was fond of.