Tauranga City Council commissioner chairwoman Anne Tolley, and chief executive Marty Grenfell (background) in a meeting where Māori wards were discussed. Photo / George Novak
A decision to establish a Māori ward in Tauranga city has been described as "just", "good" and doing what's "right" by some of those already serving in such a role.
Today, Tauranga City Council commissioners unanimously voted to establish a Māori ward for the 2022 local body elections - becoming one of the first New Zealand councils to do so since controversial legislation around it was tweaked earlier this year.
The decision was not discussed among commissioners Bill Wasley, Stephen Selwood, Shadrach Rolleston and chairwoman Anne Tolley in the meeting but was met with applause from the public gallery.
It followed impassioned pleas from three public submissions.
Rob Paterson implored commissioners to hold a referendum, saying it would be democratic.
The cost of holding the referendum would be $220,000, an expense that had not been budgeted for.
Paterson said there was already unelected iwi representation and all major policies were fully canvassed with local Māori. He questioned that if a Māori ward materialised, "is it intended Māori will forgo the other race-based rights they currently enjoy?"
"The exalted position and privileges presently enjoyed by and given to Māori interests are not available to other Tauranga citizens," he said.
"Council positions are a privilege, not a right, and therein lies the opportunity for anyone, Māori or non-Māori, to become a city councillor."
Richard Prince also spoke, telling commissioners that Māori did not need patronising or "undemocratic leg-ups" caused by "retrospective, draconian and race-based legislation".
Tangata whenua representative Buddy Mikaere spoke next, saying suggestions the move was undemocratic were "laughable".
He reminded the meeting the entire process had got to this point through a democratic process with a democratically elected Government.
"Would there be a complaint about lack of consultation if the decision had been not to establish a Māori ward? Of course not," Mikaere said.
"There is a positive impact and experience from having Māori input into council committees; previously issues that might have been overlooked or not considered from a Māori perspective – can now be put on the radar."
Mikaere referenced the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, which was the first council in New Zealand to establish Māori wards in 2004.
"Did the sky fall in when Māori wards were established there? No. Are their decisions more robust and considered as a result? From my observation – a resounding yes," Mikaere said.
In February, Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta's Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill was passed. It meant council decisions on Māori wards could no longer be overturned by a publicly initiated referendum.
Tauranga has become the third territorial authority to establish Māori wards since Mahuta's Bill was passed.
The city follows Taranaki Regional Council and Palmerston North City Council in voting to bring in Māori wards since the bill passed.
After the meeting, Bay of Plenty Regional Council Māori ward representatives Matemoana McDonald, Toi Kai Rākau Iti and Te Taru White applauded the move.
McDonald said it had been "a long time coming".
"We've been trying to get the representation for a long time now... it's a historic day for us today. We're very happy with the result."
McDonald said having a voice at the decision-making table was much more valuable than offering advice from the sidelines via committees and groups.
"I don't think it will be the be-all and end-all but it makes it a lot better than it has been in the past."
McDonald said in response to Prince's and Paterson's comments that there would always detractors in the community "but the thing is, we've got to move forward and do what's good, what's just and what's right".
"Giving Māori representation is right."
Iti congratulated the commissioners "on a very forward-looking decision".
"The challenges is now for the constituents of Tauranga city to put forward candidates that can be quality advocates at the table. It's not just the [representation that matters] but also building bridges with the future councillors as well.
"It's certainly a journey that the whole council will have to walk together."
Te Taru White echoed the congratulations, saying commissioners made the right decision.
Māori had suffered under "tyrannical democracy" but Māori wards helped level out the playing field, he said.
And it was what people wanted, he said.
"Even from the submission today [for the regional council's Long-term Plan], they are asking for more equity. That's happening right now."
Western Bay of Plenty mayor Garry Webber said the commissioners' move confirmed the elected council's decision which was "the right thing to do for the New Zealand of today and tomorrow".
After the meeting, Tolley said the commissioners felt the former council had already dealt with the arguments for and against. The decision ultimately confirmed what was already decided, she said.
"So the decision for us was 'do we go back and read all that and ... traipse through all of that ground again?'
"It's quite a big thing in terms of a decision that a council has made. We would have had to have some real significant issues to overturn it. I know there was a petition but compared with a population of 150,000 it was not an overwhelming number."
Tolley also referred to the former council's decision having been made by a democratically-elected council.
Commissioners will now consider and consult on a name for the Māori ward.
The decision to establish a Māori ward in Tauranga goes against the wishes of about 5000 people who signed a publicly initiated petition opposing the Tauranga City Council's 6-4 decision for a Māori ward on August 25.
A group that called itself Concerned Citizens spearheaded a campaign to gather enough signatures to veto the council decision. The group was able to do this through a legal loophole that allowed 5 per cent of voters, collected through petition, to force a binding referendum that could see the decision overturned.
The legislation only affected decisions pertaining to Māori wards.
In February, Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta pushed through the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill under urgency, removing the loophole.
The Bill passed its third reading on February 24 and came into force on March 2.
Mahuta said at the time the referendums, or polls, had proved to be an almost insurmountable barrier to improving Māori representation in local government and, in some cases, a deterrent to local authorities considering establishing Māori wards or Māori constituencies.
On Marcy 29, the Tauranga Tangata Whenua Committee unanimously voted to recommend to the commissioners to retain the original decision.
Western Bay of Plenty District could have fewer councillors to vote for next election.