Editorial: Question of Maori wards

The timing is interesting is because some of these issues are popping up in the Te Arawa submissions, writes Kim Gillespie. Photo / Stephen Parker

The timing of the Rotorua Lakes Council's representation review is interesting given the concurrent Te Arawa Partnership Proposal process.

The review, which the council must carry out every six years, helps decide how the district should be represented. For example, should we return to a wards system, should we have online voting, how many councillors should there be, and how many community boards?

The reason the timing is interesting is because some of these issues are popping up in the Te Arawa submissions.

This week we reported calls for a reconsideration of Maori wards. Former Rotorua surveyor Luke Martin and long-term Rotorua resident Judy O'Sullivan said the council should re-debate the issue.

The council last year agreed unanimously not to introduce Maori wards. And when it has been raised in the past some councillors and Te Arawa Standing Committee members either were very cautious about it or did not support the idea.

In 2012 we reported plans for a district-wide poll on Maori wards. Then-standing committee deputy chairman Trevor Maxwell said he had always supported elections in which people were elected on merit.

Earlier that year then-mayor Kevin Winters said Maori were well represented already, with three Maori councillors.

There was support from some of the standing committee, but it's fair to say that for a long time there's never been a real hunger in Rotorua power circles for Maori wards. This means it could be an uphill battle for anyone looking to debate the issue.

But if it is to be debated, perhaps it should be done before any other major decisions on representation - that is, the Te Arawa Partnership Proposal - are made.

It does seem strange that these concurrent processes could theoretically result in conflicting outcomes.

Part of the preferred Te Arawa model itself seems to be a ward system in another form - with representatives elected by Te Arawa sitting on committees rather than the full council.

Yes, this has already been a long process, but these decisions are important and could have major ramifications for how our district is run.