Hastings: Unelected youth given decision-making powers on council committees

A landmark decision means youth representatives have more powers at Hastings District Council (pictured). Photo / Warren Buckland

Inclusive or undemocratic?

That question fuelled plenty of debate on Thursday as Hastings District Council (HDC) decided - by the slimmest of margins - to give unelected youth representatives voting rights on council committees and also to pay them.

The council voted 7-7 on the proposal with the casting vote going to Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, who supported the move.

Decision-making powers are generally reserved for elected councillors on HDC committees (and sub-committees).

However, the likes of an unelected council official or iwi representative can also hold membership and vote on certain committees, where they have relevant knowledge or expertise.

The council’s decision means members of the Hastings Youth Council (HDCYC) will now be able to vote on council committees.

Similar powers were given in the late 1990s to youth representatives on HDC, the council heard.

“In law, council can appoint unelected people to its committees and subcommittees if you feel they have the requisites, skills and experience to add value,” a council staffer, Craig Cameron, said during the meeting.

The Hastings Youth Council is made up of 17 youth aged between 15 and 21. They are appointed following an application process and the vast majority are high school students.

They previously contributed as non-voting members on council sub-committees but wrote a letter to Hazlehurst requesting more involvement. It was revealed in the meeting that the letter was AI-assisted.

Following Thursday’s landmark decision, their involvement will be substantially upgraded and include payment, with their expanded role taking force until at least the next council election (October 2025).

The exact cost remains unclear, as well as which youth representatives will stand on which committees, but the council heard the change would cost less than $15,000 over the next 12 months.

Councillor Simon Nixon said the proposal “breaches the very basis of our democracy” and was a “backdoor method for getting on council”.

Councillor Henry Heke also opposed the proposal, saying “we don’t use our children for political leverage”.

Other councillors who voted against the proposal included Michael Fowler, Damon Harvey, Alwyn Corban, Eileen Lawson and former principal Malcolm Dixon.

Councillor Ana Apatu welcomed the change and said “it’s a no-brainer”.

“I have seen the capability of these youth councillors... they are diligent, they read their [council] papers, and they speak up on behalf of the youth population.”

Hazlehurst and councillors Tania Kerr, Marcus Buddo, Heather Te Au-Skipworth, Wendy Schollum and Hana Montaperto-Hendry also voted in support.

Councillors Kellie Jessup and Kevin Watkins were absent from the meeting (and did not vote).

Hazlehurst said she had been “inspired” by the youth council’s intelligence, vision and positivity - and the change would make a huge contribution.

Hastings Youth Council chairman Chris Proctor, from Lindisfarne College, said the proposal would establish a “commitment to meaningful youth engagement and not just consultation”.

“We want to make it perfectly clear that our initial proposal was not to be remunerated, we simply want to help solve a long-standing issue of rangatahi disengagement and low voter turnout.”

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.