Suffrage Equality under threat again

Stuff reports:

Kaikōura’s council has voted against creating a Māori ward after feedback from the local rūnanga.

Now is not the right time for a Māori ward, Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura chairperson Hariata Kahu said.

The rūnanga expressed concerns with the legislation around Māori wards, saying it would be undemocratic for Māori voters. …

Anyone on the Māori roll would only be able to vote for the mayor and the one Māori councillor, whereas those on the general role would be able to vote for seven councillors under the present system.

So the reason they are not going ahead is because there would be only one Councillor for the Maori Ward.

Maori make up 18% of Kaikoura’s population and generally half are on the Maori roll so say 10% of the population are on the Maori roll and under this proposal they get 12.5% of elected Councillors. This is now deemed undemocratic.