Māori Ward Referendum - Writer Aimee Milne Shares Her Perspective.

Photo Credit: K.Wallace

As Gen X kids, the possibility of nuclear war was our 80s mileu. Tairāwhiti seemed too far away to be affected, but that sense of safety was a luxury; one that is increasingly difficult for this, and future generations, to feel. We’re still geographically isolated, but we’re more globally connected now than ever. Our planet is teetering on a see-saw. Climate change, global conflict, the consequences of unsustainable land use, and general scarcity. These forces do, or will, affect us locally. We all have a say in which way the see-saw tilts. What comes next depends, in part, on what we add weight to: what we tolerate, amplify, or normalise. Our community has important collective decisions to make.

When we vote in the upcoming local elections, we will also be voting in a referendum to decide whether to keep or remove the Tairāwhiti Māori Ward for Gisborne District Council. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the Māori or General roll. If you’re enrolled, you can vote. If you haven’t enrolled yet, you can do so here. https://vote.nz/enrolling/enrol-or-update/enrol-or-update-online/ I’m not here to tell you how to vote. I’m just providing information, and hopefully dispelling any myths. 

So, what are Māori wards? 

I can’t give you a definition without the historical context, so I’ll start at the (formal) beginning, in 1840, when the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. Due to the misinterpretation of certain words, there is ongoing debate about what was promised. But Māori signed the treaty with the understanding that the Crown would have the right to govern settlers while Māori retained tino rangatiratanga (autonomy/authority) over their own lands, resources, and way of being. 

That did not happen. 

Māori wards are the local government equivalent of the Māori electorates in Parliament. They ensure that Māori communities can elect councillors to represent their interests, perspectives, and priorities.   Māori wards are upholding the Treaty principle of partnership. 

Until recently, voters could block the creation of Māori wards by forcing a binding referendum, a barrier that did not exist for any other kind of ward. This was widely criticised as discriminatory, so parliament removed that requirement in 2021, allowing councils to establish Māori wards in the same way they would any other ward. However, some communities, including ours, are still facing referendums. 

What are we feeling today?

Last July the Government announced any council that had started a Māori ward since 2020, must hold a referendum or remove those wards. This is where we are at now.  At that time our Council had a majority vote to keep the Māori wards. Mayor Rehette Stoltz said “I see Māori Wards as a positive, it’s a plus plus and I am proud of how we’ve all come together. It’s up to us to make sure the Council voices around the table are all of us, we need to hear the voices of our people and more than half of our people are Māori.”

I asked a couple of Tauiwi/Tangata Tiriti (non-Māori/people of the treaty) what message they think supporting Māori wards sends about who we are as a region and as a country. Jane Luiten is a local who believes that “in a time of increasing divisiveness and backtracking on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Te Tairāwhiti support for Māori wards is a beacon of hope.  For Pākehā like me, it speaks to commitment to address the harm of our colonial past and to acknowledge the value Māori bring to our present. He maungarongo ki te whenua, he whakaaro pai ki ngā tāngata katoa, (peace on earth, good will towards all people).”

Tim Marshall agreed. “I think it’s sends a message that we are mature enough to understand our opportunity as a region with 50+% Maori to truly demonstrate partnership in a genuine way, as a model for the rest of the country.” This was a common theme amongst the locals I spoke with. Here in Tairāwhiti we have a chance to be exemplary. We have an opportunity to unite in a time of crisis and division. To be world leaders. We are the first city in the world to see the sun, after all. 

Most Tauiwi I interviewed said it was less about politics and more about values. Our values should guide how we structure local government representation. “He waka eke noa, Jane continues. It’s about shared purpose and collective responsibility. Local government represents the community it serves, and should acknowledge the diverse world views of its community to enrich decision-making. Let’s break down the ‘us and them’ barriers. Councillors can work together and be informed by multiple perspectives, giving the council confidence in its mandate to make decisions for the community at large. And having representation on council helps future generations feel more connected to local democracy. My son is in Tāmaki Makaurau and reckons there is no one to vote for! The line-up for Auckland has almost zero Māori representation. Why would you bother?

My future Tairāwhiti is one that works together: where mana whenua are an integral and valued given in a collective local government entity. Not just an ‘add-on’ to the existing system, but part of rethinking how local government best works in Aotearoa 2025.” Says Jane. Supporting Māori wards is not an act of division. It is an act of inclusion and recognition that our community is stronger when all voices are heard.