Name changes must recognise our heritage – iwi

Avoiding a Whanganui/Wanganui conflict should be at the forefront of any introduction of Maori names for new council organisations in Auckland, an iwi leader says.

The royal commission recommends that each of the six newly created local bodies which sit under the proposed Auckland Council should have Maori names in order to recognise heritage, kaitiaki (guardianship) and responsibilities.

The names should be determined by the Local Government Commission after consultation with iwi, however the commission has suggested interim names as a starting point.

Ngati Whatua's Naida Glavish said:

"Provided that they are the accurate and proper names it is a good move. I don't want us to have Maori names that are going to take us 170 years to fix up, like Whanganui."

Place names had a narrative and history attached which were important to recognise, she said.

Across the region mayors had mixed reactions.

Waitakere City Council mayor Bob Harvey couldn't resist having a dig at the proposed change for the North Shore City Council's region to Waitemata Local Council.

"As mayor of Waitakere I would be delighted to give North Shore our old name Waitemata. It's beautiful and deserves to be re-used."

North Shore mayor Andrew Williams was unavailable for comment.

The commissioners were unable to come up with a name for Rodney, so have temporarily suggested Rodney Local Council.

Mayor Penny Webster said the issue was a shorthand path to half-hearted inclusiveness: "To me it's a bit of an insult to Maori. It's like a Remuera person thinking, 'Oh gosh we've got to include Maori, you know the little people,' so let's put them in there."

Local Governance Minister Rodney Hide said the issue wasn't something that he was concerned with, although it was "amusing" the commissioners could not suggest a name for the northern tip of the Auckland region.

Auckland City Council mayor John Banks was unavailable but through a spokesman said he "respects the Maori name for Auckland". Whether that extends to supporting Tamaki-makau-rau Local Council as the name for the representative body was unclear.


NEW NAMES

OLD
Rodney District Council

NEW
To be decided

OLD
North Shore City Council

NEW
Waitemata Local Council

OLD
Waitakere City Council

NEW
Waitakere Local Council

OLD
Auckland City Council

NEW
Tamaki-makau-rau Local Council

OLD
Manukau City Council

NEW
Manukau Local Council

OLD
Franklin District Council

NEW
Hunua Local Council