However, it was important that the voice for Māori in the community was secured, he said.
“We have a chance to embed a mechanism that creates an opportunity for Māori representation and creates the potential for a Māori worldview to sit alongside us at the table.
At Tuesday’s meeting, councillors were set up across one side of the chambers during the meeting, with the rest of the room open to members of the public.
Only a handful of people turned up.
Melser said it had become clear there was inequality in the current system.
Māori had been locked out of meaningful participation and decision-making since colonisation, she said.
“We are not dealing with the perfect democratic system with perfect equity. However, we need to do the best with what we have.
“I believe we need to create this choice to exist for our people. We need the Māori worldview present in our decision-making.”
A recent public survey revealed 53 per cent of the 511 respondents supported the establishment of the wards, and formal letters of support were received from two iwi - Te Kaahui o Rauru Trust and Te Rūnanga o Ngā Wairiki Ngati Apa - along with one from Te Rūnanga o Tamaupoko, which represents five hapū from the middle section of the Whanganui River to Mt Ruapehu.
However, Tupoho, which comprises 16 hapū from the lower reaches of the Whanganui River, did not respond.
Fallen said the number of submitters matched those on the future of the Rotokawau/Virginia Lake aviary, and that disappointed him.
Tripe said the council was “absolutely for” having Māori at the council table but voted against the wards, primarily because he thought the legislation was fundamentally flawed and the council was already doing well in terms of engagement with Māori.
“We could do better, but I think a quota system based on racial identity hurts.
“I would like to explore with our iwi, hapū and Māori, other ways we can hear the voice of Māori.
“I’m also led to believe from my discussions with other councils, whom I’ve got good relationships with, that there will be a greater tendency to abdicate the responsibility of the Māori worldview to the two Māori ward members.”
Philippa Baker-Hogan said she regretted her decision to vote against putting the ‘h’ back in Whanganui.
“I won’t miss this opportunity to improve self-determination and better democracy for our whole community, particularly Māori,” she said.
Law said personally, he was against Māori wards.
“It’s like you’re saying that I don’t represent those people - I’m ignoring 9000 Māori because I’m Pākehā. I find that extremely insulting.”
However, because the majority of the community who submitted wanted them, he would vote in favour.
It would be interesting to see what happened in the next election when Māori ward voters didn’t vote for current elected members, Law said.
“If I wanted to keep a minority in its place, if I wanted to be dodgy, I would introduce Māori wards.
“They would get two votes out of 12 and my people would get 10 out of 12.”
Vinsen said councillors who voted for Māori wards were expressing their personal view, not the views of the whole community.
“It’s a mistake to believe Māori aren’t elected to council. This view is insulting to past Māori councillors and current Māori councillors across the country.
“I’ve served with councillors Rangi Wills and Rana Waitai. Both were people of profile and calibre and were elected not because of race, but because of the whole community’s confidence in their abilities.”
Duncan said “two, maybe three” Māori people had been elected to council in the last eight local elections.
She said it wasn’t until last Friday that she decided which way she was going to vote.
“We are not getting Māori in here, around the table, having a voice, and this is a problem.
“If we vote against, we will leave the bulk of our Māori community thinking we have gone way back in time yet again.”
The Māori ward system needed scrutiny, but it was the only way to get representation in Whanganui, she said.
Those on the Māori roll are unable to vote for candidates standing in general wards.
Vinsen asked members of the community to put their views forward for the council’s upcoming representation review.
The review, required every six years, determines the number of elected members at the council, and the number of wards.
Whatever configuration is decided on will be in place in the 2025 and 2028 local elections.
The council also passed a resolution to “continue to work with iwi and hapū to consider alternative options to further enable representation and participation of iwi and hapū in decision-making”.
Tripe said the resolution was really important.
“How do we do that? It’s an open question, and I’m excited to explore what that could look like.”
Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
