Petition for Palmerston North Maori wards vote launched

A petition for a poll on a proposal to set up Maori wards in the Palmerston North City Council area was launched today, lead petitioner Don Esslemont said today.

Palmerston North City Councillors voted 11:4 in favour of having two council seats reserved for Maori in the area.

Mr Esslemont said: We believe that Maori ward(s) are not necessary for council decisions which are mainly to do with roads, clean drinking water, sewage, drainage, libraries, sports facilities and cultural centres, all of which are for the benefit of everyone irrespective of ethnicity.

"This is an important issue. Residents and ratepayers in those four areas are entitled to have a say in such a radical shift in representation arrangements,” Mr Esslemont said.

If you are currently on the Palmerston North City Council electoral roll and want voters to decide this important question then please sign the above petition and encourage others (neighbours, family, friends, workmates) to sign as well.

A total of 2,727 signatures must be delivered to the Palmerston North City Council by 5pm on February 21, 2018, to trigger a poll which would be held between February and May of 2018.

Those who wish to sign the petition and/or help collecting signatures should contact me, he said.

A round of representation reviews this year required under the Local Electoral Act 2001 means that the Western Bay of Plenty, Whakatane, and Manawatu district councils as well as the Palmerston North City Council have all decided to proceed with such wards.

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