Tauranga’s First Māori Ward Councillor ‘Undergoing Medical Treatment’ In Hospital

Tuesday, 23 July 2024, 8:45 pm
Article: Alisha Evans - Local Democracy Reporter

Tauranga City Council had its first election in five years on Saturday and voters had the chance to elect a Māori ward councillor for the first time.

Sydney (Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui) was the clear winner in the Te Awanui ward with 1429 votes. That is more than double that of the runner-up Suaree Borell who had 711 votes, the preliminary results showed.

Mayor-elect Mahé Drysdale said he was saddened to learn that Sydney was undergoing medical treatment in hospital.

“I have spoken to his whānau and wish him well for a full recovery. I look forward to the opportunity to welcome him onto council, once he is able, as the elected representative of Te Awanui, Tauranga City Council’s first Māori ward.”

Drysdale said Sydney’s whānau had have asked for privacy as they supported his recovery.

“Our thoughts are with them,” Drysdale said.

Sydney described himself as a “grandchild of Tauranga Moana”, and he has been representing Tauranga’s rangatahi, tamariki and mokopuna to ensure a bright future for them and further generations, according to his election bio on the Tauranga City Council election website.

Syndey’ said he is an active member of the community, a netball coach, Tauranga Netball director and kapa haka judge.

“I am a young leader in our moana who is across all iwi, hapū, marae and hāpori levels I have strong relationships throughout the Moana that are key to my success.”

Syndey’s priority was “weaving Māori culture into Tauranga City” so it could be a “responsible treaty partner,” he said in a video on the election website.

Three candidates stood in Te Awanui ward and voter turnout in this ward was the lowest at 28.61 per cent. Overall voter turnout was 37.88 per cent as of July 21, this could change when final results are released on Thursday.

History of Tauranga’s Māori ward

The decision was made to establish a Māori ward in 2020, but this was nearly overturned by a petition from a group called Concerned Citizens.

This was done through a legal loophole where if a petition was signed by of at least 5 per cent of the local population, they could overturn a council’s decision on Māori wards by forcing a binding referendum on the matter.

Local government minister at the time Nanaia Mahuta enabled the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill, preventing such petitions from affecting future council decisions on Māori wards.

The commission confirmed the previous council’s decision on Māori wards at meeting in April 2021.
The Māori ward is at risk again with the Government planning to require councils to hold a binding referendum on Māori wards established after March 2021.

Local Government New Zealand president Sam Broughton labelled the government’s decision a “complete overreach”.

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