Northland iwi calls for action over Kaipara District Council’s Māori ward

Ngātiwai chairman Aperahama Edwards. Photo / RNZ

By Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira for RNZ

Northland iwi Ngātiwai have called their people to action over a meeting deciding the fate of Kaipara District Council’s Māori ward.

Council will hold an extraordinary meeting this morning to decide whether to keep its Māori ward or scrap it, following changes to the Local Government Act last week.

Māori have called for Kaipara Mayor Craig Jepson to resign over his stance to remove Te Moananui o Kaipara Māori ward, currently occupied by councillor Pera Paniora.

Should the council vote to disestablish the ward, it would be the first Māori ward to be scrapped under the new rules.

In an Instagram post, Ngātiwai said they would rally in Mangawhai before the 9.30am meeting to show solidarity with local iwi and hapū.

“This is a shameful and unethical action that is not in keeping with Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” the post read.

“We extend a call to all those who are available to join us in solidarity to tautoko our whanaunga and remind KDC of their Te Tiriti obligations.”

Ngātiwai chairman Aperahama Edwards told RNZ the decision would be significant, not just for Northland, but for all of Aotearoa.

“We’re deeply disappointed, saddened, hurt and outraged that this oppressive behaviour continues.”

Jepson opposed the introduction of Māori wards when they were introduced in 2020 and caused controversy when he banned karakia being used to open council meetings.

Edwards said Jepson’s views were “extremist” and his stance to remove the ward was “completely unacceptable”.

Kaipara Mayor Craig Jepson and Te Moananui o Kaipara Māori Ward’s Pera Paniora. Photo / Susan Botting

Ngātiwai’s tribal rohe straddles five territorial authorities: Far North District, Whangarei District, Auckland, Northland Regional District and Kaipara.

By far, Kaipara District Council is the most backward of all territorial authorities within the North, Edwards said.

“We have huge respect and admiration for Ihapera [Pera Paniora], it has been great having a strong advocate for tangata whenua views at the council table.

“Council has more significant issues to be focusing on than prioritising this decision, which they will make tomorrow. It’s shameful.”

Edwards said the district had been hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle, and some of the first to respond to the crisis were tangata whenua.

“Not only supporting our own communities, but all who were affected. It’s appalling the same goodwill isn’t reciprocated. [The response] isn’t unique, we naturally do that - we manāki.”

The divisive politics at play in Aotearoa was dangerous and took New Zealand back to shameful periods of its history, Edwards said.

“Māori are not seeking anything additional or special. It’s simple, be honourable.

“We are calling on the kāwana to be honourable.”