Have your say on Māori wards: Annette Brosnan

The country as a whole has been asked to look again at Māori wards. Photo / Warren Buckland

Annette Brosnan is Napier deputy mayor

OPINION

Councils are set up for the people, by the people. Local people are elected by the community to represent them in the city’s governance.

The number of elected members (councillors and a mayor) is guided by legislation and can be between five and 30, no matter the size of the city. In Napier, we have 13; in Hastings, there are 15. Central Hawke’s Bay has nine, and Wairoa has seven.

Every six years, by law we must check in with our community to confirm the council still represents them in a way that works well.

Communities and populations change. The main purpose of this representation review is to ensure communities of interest have effective representation, and arrangements are fair and the result of a fair process.

Your feedback is crucial in shaping the future of our local governance. The representation review is now open for your input until 9am on Thursday, August 8.

We are proposing three general wards (for those voting on the general roll) and one Māori Ward (for those voting on the Māori roll). Your thoughts on these proposals are invaluable.

Māori wards have been a topic of conversation with our community for many years now. After the comprehensive consultation in 2021, the council decided to introduce Māori wards for the 2025 local body election.

Since then, the country as a whole has been asked to look again at Māori wards and, where they’ve been introduced, run a binding poll on whether to keep them.

This means we are now entering a complicated time. Through the representation review, we are asking the community to confirm they are happy with two councillors in one city-wide Māori ward.

This is alongside having three councillors in each of the three general wards, a total of 11 councillors plus the mayor.

What adds complexity is that we can choose to quash our earlier decision about Māori wards, but that, too, needs to be consulted with our community. Your influence on this decision is significant.

We, as a council, have until September 6 to decide whether to rescind Māori wards before next year’s election. If we don’t, we will have to hold a binding poll at the election in 2025 asking the community whether to keep Māori wards beyond 2028.

Representation is at the very core of local government. Your voice, your vote and your views are essential. Who sits at the council table on your behalf is crucial to ensure you are heard.

You have an opportunity to vote for your representatives every three years, but throughout the year, many decisions are made that affect you, your neighbours, your family, and your day-to-day life. Your voice is vital there, too.

The representation review is one of those complex but important topics. Have a look at the information on sayitnapier.nz and give us your feedback. Then, when we move towards decisions around Māori wards, get involved there too.