Māori candidates who participated in a recent hui at Oomaero marae in Whatawhata hosted by Taurikura NZ. Photo / Taurikura NZ
Māori candidates who participated in a recent hui at Oomaero marae in Whatawhata hosted by Taurikura NZ. Photo / Taurikura NZ
A total of eight Waikato councils have Māori constituencies in the upcoming local elections and Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) says there is more competition across the country for Māori seats than general ward seats.
New Zealand-wide, more than 140 candidates have put up their hands for the 66 new Māori councillor positions. There are 15 Māori seats in the Waikato region.
The Waikato councils with Māori wards are Waikato Regional, Hamilton City, Matamata-Piako District, Ōtorohanga District, Ruapehu District, Taupō District, Waikato District and Waipā District.
Also, South Waikato District will have its first Māori mayor this term with the only two candidates being current councillors Gary (Puku) Petley and Arama Ngapo.
LGNZ chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene says it is clear that the introduction of Māori wards has empowered more Māori to stand.
"If we look at past local government elections, we've seen a steady average of around two candidates running for each available position. These Māori ward numbers show more competition for seats, with around 2.2 candidates for every available position."
Freeman-Greene says all Māori ward vacancies had nominations and out of the 66 seats, there were only 13 instances where someone has been elected unopposed. Three of those instances are the Waikato Regional Māori constituencies and the Matamata-Piako Māori constituency.
Matamata-Piako has a single Māori seat for the first time for which Gary Thompson (Ngāti Paoa), a member of the council's Te Manawhenua Forum, has been elected unopposed to the Te Toa Horopū ā Matamata-Piako Ward.
Kataraina Hodge has been elected unopposed for the Ngā Tai Ki Uta Waikato Regional Māori constituency. Photo / Supplied
Waikato Regional Council has had two Māori seats for some years, with current incumbents Tipa Mahuta for the Ngā Hau E Whā constituency and Kataraina Hodge for the Ngā Tai ki Uta being re-elected unopposed for another term.
Hodge says she has noticed the bigger competition for Māori seats.
"In Waikato alone, 32 stood in this election. Good on them, I think it's great!
"It [implementing Māori wards] is one of the sure ways to get Māori to the [council] table."
Hodge has been the Ngā Tai ki Uta Māori Ward councillor since 2016. She says a lot has changed for Māori since then.
"People my age, we have been brought up with the proverb 'the kumara doesn't speak of its own sweetness'. [Standing for council] is not something we did."
Tipa Mahuta has been elected unopposed for the Ngā Hau E Whā Waikato Regional Māori constituency. Photo / Supplied
Despite being a community stalwart for a long time - amongst other things she is the chair of the Raukawa Settlement Trust - Hodge was talked into standing for council.
"A friend of mine talked me into it. Before standing for the regional council, I stood as a councillor for Waipā District Council, but I didn't make it.
"But it wasn't about winning, I wanted to show Māori women that they can stand like anybody else."
She says implementing Māori wards made Māori realise that they can do this job.
"Māori wards are a good starting point, but I like to believe that in the future, we won't need them any more. A lot of Māori have put their names forward for a general ward in this election."
Gary Thompson (Ngati Paoa) has been elected unopposed as the inaugural Te Toa Horopu a Matamata-Piako Ward. Photo / Supplied
To support so many new Māori elected members, LGNZ set up a new programme, Te Āhuru Mōwai, in July.
Bonita Bigham, who chairs LGNZ's national collective of Māori elected to local government or appointed to governance roles, Te Maruata, says Te Āhuru Mōwai was necessary since many people elected on Māori wards will have little to no experience in local government.
"This is a really important initiative because we hear time and time again that the current environment is not conducive to enabling Māori elected members to thrive.
"[Te Āhuru Mōwai] will provide a culturally safe and confident space for Māori elected members to support and learn from each other," Bigham says.
South Waikato mayoral candidate Arama Ngapo. Photo / Supplied
The programme is based on the Te Ao Māori teaching and learning concept about the relationship between tuakana and teina (older and younger siblings or cousins) and will help elected members share knowledge and challenges.
Freeman-Greene says Te Āhuru Mōwai is part of a wider programme of work to increase diversity in elected members. Of the current mayors, councillors and other elected members, only 13.5 per cent are Māori, LGNZ says.
"To make Aotearoa the most inclusive and active democracy, we need our council tables to reflect the communities they represent," says Freeman-Greene.
"We want Māori elected members to feel supported throughout their journey in office so we retain Māori in local government."
South Waikato mayoral candidate Gary (Puku) Petley. Photo / Supplied
What are Māori Wards
People elected on to Māori wards and constituencies will represent Māori communities as councillors and contribute to decision-making around the council table.
Māori ward councillors will have a particular responsibility to represent people of Māori descent and bring forward Māori views and aspirations. However, they also represent the entire community in a region, city or district.
Only voters enrolled on the Māori electoral roll will vote for candidates standing for Māori wards. Voters enrolled on the Māori electoral roll can't vote for candidates standing for general wards.
