Letter for people to send to their councils to stop Maori wards

Kapiti Coast District Council Private Bag 60601 Paraparaumu 5254 27 11 2023 Attn: Mayor Janet Holborow Councillors of Kapiti Coast District Council Community Board Chairs Chief Executive Darren Edwards Subject: Establishment of a Maori Ward Dear Mayor, Councillors, Community Board Members and Executive Officials of the Council We, the undersigned group of concerned citizens, write regarding the recent decision of Kapiti Coast District Council to establish a Maori Ward, effective from the next local government election.

We note that the Council has made this decision despite the public response to a survey conducted by Council, which showed that 69% of the population in the KCDC area are opposed to establishment of a Maori ward. Despite more than two-thirds of residents being opposed, the decision of Council to proceed is apparently based on a rationale that there was a higher level of support for the proposal amongst those on the Maori electoral roll, and those in the 18-34 age category. The Council, in its published material on the proposal and the survey, noted that these groups of respondents are those ‘most directly affected’ by the proposal.

Our concerns about this Council decision are the following.

First, it is a huge concern, and not the Council’s legal or constitutional mandate, to decide that a particular group of citizens in the area for which the Council has responsibility are more important, or more affected by Council’s decisions and activities, than others. ALL citizens are affected by ALL Council’s decisions, services and activities and ALL ratepayers are particularly affected, in having to fund Council’s spending.

Second, it is also a major concern that the Council has decided to proceed with establishment of a Maori ward in addition to retaining its current institutional arrangements for consultation with Maori in the KCDC area - where (selected) representatives of the three manawhenua iwi (Ngati Raukawa, Te Atiawa and Ngati Toa) are appointed to Council committees, where they can influence Committee decisions and

recommendations to the full Council. In addition, this group of manawhenua representatives - named Te Whakaminenga o Kapiti - meets monthly with the Mayor and Councillors as a committee in its own right and also makes recommendations to the full Council. Te Whakaminenga o Kapiti also oversees the Maori Economic Development fund and the allocation and monitoring of funds to Maori organisations and community groups.

We are not in favour of establishment of any wards based on race. However, we note that in electing a Councillor for the Maori ward, this will be an open public vote for those on the Maori electoral roll. From the perspective of public involvement, this process will at least involve a public vote rather than appointment of selected persons to Council. The three manawhenua in the area will be able to decide which candidates they would like to put forward for the Maori ward, but candidates may also come from the general Maori community. Open voting will allow all Maori on the Maori electoral roll to have a say.

Under the current arrangement, the appointed members of Te Whakaminenga o Kapiti are paid to attend its own meetings and Council committee meetings and other activities. This gives this group of citizens Council-paid access to all Council deliberations and influence in the decision-making process. The members of Te Whakaminenga o Kapiti, as representatives of their iwi, also represent the corporate and commercial interests of their iwi. No other business or community organisation has Council-paid representation and access to Council deliberations.

The establishment of a Maori ward in addition to retaining Te Whakaminenga o Kapiti (and the paid access of its selected representatives of manawhenua iwi to Council deliberations) would therefore result in significant over-representation of Maori and Maori interests. In addition, retaining Te Whakaminenga o Kapiti as well as a Maori ward imposes significant costs, which all ratepayers have to pay for. The net result is that ratepayers are paying to have consultation with one particular part of the wider community elevated above all others.

We therefore strongly seek and request that in establishing a Maori ward based on the Maori electoral roll, Kapiti Coast District Council dis-establish the system of retaining selected, appointed representatives of the three manawhenua groups. The shift from appointed to elected representation will ensure fair representation of all Maori in the area.

We look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

The Undersigned Kapit Residents: Barbara Aires John Andrews Andrew Ball

Kathryn Blewman Donald Carter Kathryn Ennis-Carter Gaye Forster David Forster Sue Frewin Sarah Grandison Philip Grimmett Teresa Grimmett Werner Guether Vivien Harlen Jil Hemming Jackie Jones Paul Jones Dougall McLellan Michael John Meadows John Peters Donna Peters Eleanor Reo Greg Rzesniowiecki Gail Sayer Chris Sayer Linda Shearman Mark Sidebotham