Whangarei's Darleen Tana Hoff-Nielsen a Northland Regional Council byelection candidate. Photo / Susan Botting
Whangarei's Darleen Tana Hoff-Nielsen a Northland Regional Council byelection candidate. Photo / Susan Botting
Three Whangārei women who have publicly thrown their hat into the ring for the Northland Regional Council byelection are all in favour of Māori seats.
Whangārei's Fiona Douglas, Darleen Tana Hoff-Nielsen (Ngāpuhi) and Charlotte Toner all say having Māori seats is a plus for councils.
Northland Regional Council (NRC) has been forced into an $80,000 byelection after former deputy-chair and longtime councillor John Bain resigned on the spot and walked out of the council's October 20 meeting just before councillors voted for Māori constituencies.
Whangarei's Charlotte Toner, a Northland Regional Council byelection candidate who spoke at a recent Kensington, Whangarei pro Maori wards meeting in the city. Photo / Susan Botting
The women became the first to join the race, at Māori wards-themed meetings in Whangārei recently where former New Plymouth Mayor Andrew Judd spoke in favour of the designated seats.
Toner said she was standing because NRC's councillors were predominantly white, middle-aged men. The same was the case for its executive. It was time for a younger voice.
Toner previously worked at NRC and Far North District Council (FNDC).
She said it was good to see NRC set up its Tai Tokerau Māori advisory committee, but it did not go far enough. She was in favour of Māori constituency representation, partly to be consistent with the Government's Māori seats.
Byelection nominations opened on November 24, closing on December 22. Candidates must now campaign over the summer break.
The byelection comes as NRC, Kaipara and Whangarei District Councils for the first time vote to have Māori seats on their councils.
Bain is now spearheading a campaign challenging the votes by calling for each to hold a referendum.
Hoff-Nielsen said it should be up to Māori to decide, rather than those on the general electoral role.
She said Māori wards were a no brainer.
"The weird part is the polling thing, that's just bizarre. That needs to be changed," she said.
Fiona Douglas, a Northland Regional Council byelection candidate (foreground left). Photo / Susan Botting
Douglas said it was unfair to Māori the Local Electoral Act allowed for such polling.
Māori seats were important to bring diverse voices to councils.
Nominations close on Tuesday December 22 at noon for NRC's Whangārei urban constituency. Special voting opens on January 26, ahead of the February 17 byelection voting day for the constituency's 29,300 registered electors.
Bain has confirmed he is not standing for NRC again.
