Tamatea Central Hawke’s Bay has joined the majority of councils around the country and voted to retain Māori wards.
The Government has directed councils to rescind Māori wards established after 2021, or to hold a binding referendum on them at the local body election in 2025.
The Tamatea Central Hawke’s Bay District Council voted to retain Māori wards after robust debate at an extraordinary meeting on Thursday, where the district’s Mayor Alex Walker acknowledged the grief of Māoridom as Kīngi Tūheitia was laid to rest at his tangi.
“I was lucky enough to meet him and he left a long-lasting impression on me with his vision and leadership for kotahitanga,” said Walker.
He said: “We have voted to affirm the historic decision we made in November for Tamatea Hawke’s Bay to retain a Māori ward.”