Countering The Campaign To Abolish The Poll Provision

Susan @DEMOCRACYACTION
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Apr 04, 2018

< April 2018 newsletter

Countering The Campaign To Abolish The Poll Provision

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), along with the Green Party and ex-New Plymouth Mayor Andrew Judd, are agitating to remove those sections of the Local Electoral Act 2001 that allow for electors to vote on whether or not a city, district or region can establish Māori wards.

The Local Government and Environment Committee, considering the bill at the time, advised parliament that the establishment of Māori wards should require public support, and that the entire district or region has a right to express a view. The poll provision was included in the legislation to ensure that Māori representation on councils can be determined by the whole community. However, now Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta says the Government will consider legislating for Māori seats on all councils. See RNZ news item here.

Mahuta has also said that if there is a clear steer from mayors and councils that the law around Māori seats need to change, she will listen. See here.

This challenge has been picked up by LGNZ. On the 27th of March they upped the ante by sending an open letter to the three leaders of the governing coalition, seeking support to remove those sections (s. 19ZA to 19ZG) of the Act that allow for the poll option. This was followed by a media release, and social media posts. Click here to view the LGNZ media release.

The Democracy Action media release in response can be viewed by clicking here.

LGNZ proudly states on its website that its paramount role is to protect and enhance local democracy - and yet it wants to deny citizens their democratic right to say whether they support race-based political representation, or not. It is no wonder that the public’s opinion of the performance of local government is poor, as indicated by the Colmar Brunton 2017 Local Government Survey, which shows that overall only 17% of those polled are satisfied with local government’s performance. Click here for a report on the survey.

In June last year, Marama Davidson's bid to change the law was voted down 71 to 48. NZ First MP Ron Mark’s speech to the House on 28th June during the debate is well worth a look. To view click here.

The politicians need to hear from the public. Please take the time to send messages to:

Prime Minister [email protected]
Deputy Prime Minister [email protected]
Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta [email protected]
All NZ First MPs
Labour MPs
National MPs

The email addresses of MPs are available here.

One of our members has prepared a form letter to send to MPs. You are welcome to use this, or adapt to suit. Click here to view.

Also, please send messages to the president of Local Government New Zealand, Dave Cull

Email: [email protected]

And to the other members of the National Council of Local Government NZ.

The members are listed here.

Māori wards

Go back to the April 2018 newsletter

The welcome reinstatement of a democratic right

Jul 01, 2024

A more democratic approach to Māori wards is being proposed by the government, one which would allow voters to challenge any decision made by councils regarding Māori wards through a binding poll. This proposal is outlined in the Local Government (Electoral Legislation & Maori Wards & Maori Constituencies) Amendment Bill. Continue reading

Democracy Action oral submission to Auckland Council re: designated Māori seats

Oct 02, 2023

Oral submission to the Auckland Council Governing Body on 2 October 2023 Good morning your worship Mayor Brown and Councillors. Thank you for this opportunity to share our views on the council’s proposal to introduce designated Māori seats. I am here representing Democracy Action – a group of citizens advocating for the protection of democracy and equality of citizenship. Continue reading

Auckland Council rejects Māori seat proposal

Oct 28, 2023

After an impassioned debate, Auckland Council voted 11-9 against establishing Māori seats at the 2025 local body elections. Instead, they accepted a proposal put forward by Mayor Wayne Brown to look at Māori representation as part of a wider governance review to be undertaken by a working party made up of councillors and local board members. The working party has been asked to report back to the governing body by 31 December 2024, thereby missing the deadline to establish Māori seats for the 2025 election. Continue reading

Kāpiti Coast Council proposes Māori ward

Oct 01, 2023

Kāpiti Coast District Council is seeking the community’s views on whether to establish a Māori ward. A Māori ward councillor would represent citizens on the Maori roll. Feedback closes at 5pm Friday 13 October. See: https://haveyoursay.kapiticoast.govt.nz/MaoriWard Continue reading

Māori seats for Auckland Council: Yes/No? Have your say

Sep 09, 2023

Citizens of Auckland - please take this opportunity to say whether you want the council to introduce Māori seats. Consultation closes at 11:59pm on Sunday 24 September 2023. Auckland Council is currently seeking feedback on their proposal to introduce up to three dedicated Māori seats. Continue reading

Aucklanders' views to be sought on Māori wards

Aug 10, 2023

Following preliminary engagement with iwi and urban Māori in 2022, Auckland Council will shortly be asking Aucklanders for their feedback on whether they support - or do not support - the introduction of a dedicated Māori seat/s on Council. Public consultation will run from 21 August until 24 September. Continue reading

COUNCILS TO BE FORCED TO CONSIDER MĀORI WARDS EVERY SIX YEARS

Aug 01, 2022

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta wants to make it mandatory for councils to consider Māori wards. “Under the proposed changes, when councils undertake their regular Representation Review every six years, the first step must be a decision about whether to establish Māori wards or constituencies. Currently there is no obligation to consider Māori wards at all”, said Ms Mahuta. Continue reading

No intention to consult with Auckland citizens on Māori wards

Apr 06, 2022

Auckland Council is about to engage with mana whenua and mātāawaka about the creation of dedicated Māori seats but have made no plans to consult with the wider Auckland community - even though one of the two models under consideration does not comply with the important democratic principle of proportionality. The adoption of one of the models - the recommendation put forward by the Royal Commission when the supercity was established - would allow for three dedicated seats, thereby increasing Māori representation to a level greater than their proportion in the population. Continue reading

Rotorua Lakes Council pushing for Māori co-governance

Apr 06, 2022

The Rotorua Lakes Council no longer believes in one person one vote, each of equal value. Instead, it believes that if you are not Māori, your vote should be worth less. The Council is currently pursuing a law change to enable an undemocratic representation model to be implemented. The model it prefers would consist of three Māori ward seats, three general ward seats, and four at-large seats. However, adopting this arrangement would give the 19,791 citizens on the Māori roll 2.6 times the voting power of the 51,618 citizens on the general roll. Continue reading

Do your Council’s representation arrangements fail the equal rights test?

Sep 03, 2021

Councils owe a duty of fair representation to all the citizens they represent, yet this fundamental principle of democratic governance is being ignored by councils as they build “Treaty partnerships” with their Māori citizens. This is very apparent at Rotorua Lakes Council, where undemocratic arrangements have been introduced to “strengthen the voice of Māori in our decision making”. Continue reading

Local Government update

Aug 02, 2021

Government plans a local government system that actively embodies the Treaty partnership. On 23 April 2021 the Minister of Local Government established a review into the future for Local Government: “The overall purpose of the Review is, as a result of the cumulative changes being progressed as part of the Government’s reform agenda, to identify how our system of local democracy and governance needs to evolve over the next 30 years, to improve the wellbeing of New Zealand communities and the environment, and actively embody the Treaty partnership”. Continue reading

Update on separate Māori representation on councils

Jun 04, 2021

Photo: Political lobbying - tikanga style Manawatū District Council chambers 20 May 2021 – how to turn a No to Māori wards vote to a Yes In a flurry of activity leading up to the final date to amend governance arrangements for the 2022 local body election, thirty-five councils have opted to establish Māori seats, some making an abrupt about-turn at the last minute after intense lobbying from iwi. Continue reading

Māori seats in local government a step to 50-50 power share

Jun 04, 2021

Photo: Andrew Judd hiding from a taniwha Before the ink has dried on the establishment of separate Māori seats on 38 councils, calls for "more equitable representation and a partnership with Māori" in a 50/50 power sharing model have arisen - not only from Māori sovereignty activists, but also from some councillors. Continue reading

Tauranga citizens to be further disenfranchised

May 04, 2021

The anti-democratic madness continues apace in Tauranga. Following the Government-appointed Commissioners recent decision to establish a Māori ward, they have also agreed to a new committee – the Strategy, Finance and Risk Committee - which embodies the 'Treaty partnership', but goes further than that, effectively shutting out the wider community. Continue reading

Māori wards update - May

May 04, 2021

Even though time and time again referenda have shown that most New Zealanders are opposed to race-based voting systems, 24 local authorities have recently either made the decision to proceed with Māori wards or have indicated an intention to do so. In addition to those mentioned in the April edition of the Democracy Action newsletter, the following have voted to proceed down this path: Continue reading

Further Councils Considering Establishing Māori Wards

Apr 09, 2021

Councils: Waipa, Hawke’s Bay, Horizons, Horowhenua, Hamilton As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, the new Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021 extended the deadline for councils to consider Māori wards for the 2022 triennial local government elections to 21 May 2021. This has brought forward a flurry of proposals and votes. Continue reading

Government legislates away a democratic right

Mar 16, 2021

“Labour will ensure that major decisions about local democracy involve full participation of the local population from the outset.” So pledged the Labour Party during the 2020 election campaign. Just four months later they have broken this promise in spectacular fashion, passing under urgency the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act - thereby abolishing the right of local communities to petition for a referendum on Maori wards or constituencies. Continue reading

No respect for democracy - Government to muzzle citizens

Feb 05, 2021

In a shock announcement, the Government reveals it intends to use the extraordinary powers reserved for use when the nation is under threat to get rid of legislation that enables referenda on Māori wards. Continue reading

Campaign to overturn direct democracy hots up

Nov 27, 2020

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta is vowing to remove the public poll option when councils vote to create Māori wards. Mahuta, who retained the portfolio after the October general election, said she was "all ready to go once the government is formed". Continue reading

We want a vote on Māori wards!

Nov 27, 2020

The Local Electoral Act’s binding poll system is a form of direct democracy that enables local electors to choose for themselves by simple majority vote whether or not they support race-based council representation. However, to trigger a poll 5 percent of electors must support a petition to hold the referendum. Campaigns to do so have already started in several regions. Please offer your support and encouragement to those who are standing up for the right to have a say on whether we support designated race-based seats at the council table. Continue reading

Mayors seek law change to thwart citizens’ right to have a say on Māori wards

Oct 16, 2020

Every six years local bodies are obliged to review the ward system. We have seen a flurry of such activity over the past few months, with both New Plymouth and Tauranga acting to establish Māori wards, and others considering whether to follow suit. Continue reading

Compulsory Māori seats touted for Northland

Aug 03, 2019

Northland Māori are making a push for greater representation in local government, renewing calls for local Māori seats. Some say government intervention is necessary and that may include compulsory Māori seats. Pita Tipene of Ngāti Hine laments that local government legislation and processes are "shutting out our people". Continue reading

LGNZ's Campaign to Abolish the Poll Provision

May 04, 2018

Local Government NZ (LGNZ) is campaigning vigorously to abolish the sections the Local Electoral Act 2001 which relate to the rules for binding citizens initiated polls concerning the establishment of Maori wards. The members of National Council of LGNZ want its members to be able to impose Maori wards unchecked - thereby depriving members of local communities of an individual democratic right expressly written into law. For a comprehensive and well researched essay on this issue, please click HERE. This essay, authored by Michael Coote - a freelance writer and financial journalist - was published on the NZCPR website on 22nd April. Michael explains what LGNZ is seeking, and the reasons why. Continue reading

Citizens Get To Vote On Maori Wards - Congratulations To All Concerned!

Mar 08, 2018

Thanks to the hard work of locals, in some cases with the support of the people at Hobson’s Pledge, all five councils that voted to introduce Māori wards, (i.e. Manawatu, Whakatane, Western Bay of Plenty, Palmerston North and Kaikoura), will now be polling their citizens in a binding referendum as to whether they support Māori wards for their area. See Hobson’s Pledge media release here.

Maori wards supporters want to overturn the Māori ward poll law

Mar 08, 2018

In response to the binding poll in Palmerston North, a lobby group in the Palmerston North/Manawatu area has launched a campaign to promote the introduction of Maori wards, and to encourage voters to say "yes" to Māori wards in the upcoming referendums. A report on their campaign launch is available here. As well as campaigning to promote Māori wards, supporters want to overturn the law which enables voters to challenge any Māori ward decision through a binding poll. Continue reading

Maori wards for local authorities?

Dec 07, 2017

Four more councils have voted to foster racial division - councillors in Palmerston North, Manawatu, Whakatane and Western Bay of Plenty districts have voted to proceed with separate Maori wards, doing so without consulting their constituents. It is now over to locals to demand a vote. Help is being sought to collect signatures for petitions to spark polls in these areas. Continue reading

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< April 2018 newsletter