Now they say it is illegal not to have Maori wards
The Herald reports:
A claim has been lodged with the Waitangi Tribunal accusing the Napier City Council of failing to take reasonable steps to introduce Māori wards and thus obstructing Māori representation.
The claim was lodged this week – and served on the Crown – by a group of five on behalf of Napier area iwi representative body Te Taiwhenua o Te Whanganui a Orotu.
It’s interesting how whenever one goal is achieved, then a new goal is introduced.
- Allow one Regional Council to introduce a Maori ward, as they requested special legislation to do so.
- Then use that as a precedent to argue all Councils should be able to have Maori wards, but have the final decision rest with residents and ratepayers.
- Abolish the right of residents and ratepayers to decide if there should be race based seats for their Council.
- Condemn any Council that doesn’t introduce a Maori ward
- Make Maori wards mandatory
- Require half of Council seats to be Maori wards, to achieve true partnership
I’d say Step 5 will be seriously pushed for within 15 years maximum. It might even be less than 10 years.
Step 6 will take longer but we already have one political party pushing it.