Taranaki Regional Council to retain Māori constituency councillor

Taranaki Regional Council's elected members voted in favour of keeping the Māori constituency at the council's ordinary meeting on August 6.

Taranaki regional councillors have voted unanimously in favour of retaining the council’s Māori constituency.

The motion to keep it was put forward by Taranaki Regional Council chairwoman Charlotte Littlewood and seconded by Councillor Neil Walker at the council’s ordinary meeting on August 6.

A recent Government legislative change, required councils with Māori wards or constituencies set up since 2020 to decide, by September 6, to either disestablish the seat or hold a binding referendum in the 2025 local government elections.

The council had originally voted not to include the constituency in 2020, but changed its decision in 2021, voting in support of creating a Māori constituency for the 2022 local government elections, Littlewood said.

“We had a great debate before we eventually included a Māori constituency so it’s great to see councillors sticking by that decision.”

Bonita Bigham (Ngāruahine and Te Atiawa) is the Taranaki Regional Council Māori constituency councillor. Photo / Alyssa Smith

Littlewood said the seat brings real value to the table.

“We do representation reviews, looking at communities of interest. This is a unique community of interest and it’s important to have that Māori voice when making decisions.”

Bonita Bigham, the Taranaki Regional Council Māori constituency councillor, said she is pleased with the council’s decision.

“I believe the council’s uncontentious, unanimous decision reflects the mature and courageous conversations had within our rohe in recent years.

“This has led to our wider Taranaki community seeing the value in having Māori perspectives consistently presented at local government’s decision-making tables, through establishing Māori wards in every council in the province.”

Councillor Bigham said she thinks Māori wards are vital for democracy.

“Mana whenua across the motu have multi-generational insights, knowledge, perspectives and aspirations about the places they come from and the resources and environments in those places.

“They only want the best outcomes for our whenua, for our wai, for our moana, and for all future generations of people who will call Aotearoa home. I believe the vast majority of our Taranaki community, understand that one or two Māori voices at a council table are not a threat, we are still vastly outnumbered by any scale.

“But I’m sure our community understands intrinsically that bringing all those perspectives and voices to the table doesn’t detract from, but only enhances robust debate, deliberation, and decision-making.”