Māori Wards Retained in 17 Councils
Seventeen district and regional councils across Aotearoa will retain Māori wards following recent local body elections, reigniting debate over representation and democracy.
Well, I’m sure you don’t need to guess, my view is that we shouldn’t be dividing ourselves based on who our ancestors were. We should be focusing on the things we have in common… I don’t believe that Māori people require separate wards to get elected. You only have to look at the cabinet of the current government, where Māori play a disproportionate role to see that,
says Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour. He respects the outcome of the democratic process, despite personally opposing separate wards.
The ACT Party campaigned for local votes on Māori wards, and the results show a split – some communities choosing to keep them, others not. Seymour notes that people have had a say, which is what the ACT Party campaigned for.
Author's summary: Debate over Māori wards reignites.