At an extraordinary Council meeting today, Kāpiti Coast District Council re-affirmed their decision to establish a Māori ward.

Kāpiti Coast District Mayor Janet Holborow says re-affirming the decision to establish a Māori ward today supports the position of Council’s mana whenua partners, and will ensure Māori have greater access to decision-making at a local level.

“It also supports the position of Local Government New Zealand who have stated that reversing councils’ ability to decide on Māori wards without polls is an overreach by central government and unfairly singles out Māori voters,” says Mayor Holborow.

Due to an amendment in 2021 to the Local Electoral Act (2001), Council was able to make the decision to establish a Māori ward without a poll in November last year.

Following that decision, Council began a representation review to determine how the new Māori ward would be incorporated into the Council structure for the 2025 local government elections.

The review also provides an opportunity to assess the number of councillors, community board members, and types of wards and their boundaries.

The process began with early engagement between 4 March and 2 April 2024 to ask the community their thoughts on how they’d like to be represented.

Council received 285 submissions, with the majority indicating the current arrangements work well and support to include the new Māori ward with minimal changes to the current Council structure.

On 4 April 2024, local government minister Simeon Brown announced the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Constituencies) Amendment Bill which became legislation last Tuesday, 30 July 2024.

The Bill reinstates a requirement for councils like Kāpiti Coast to hold a poll at the 2025 local government elections for any Māori wards established without a poll.

While the Māori ward will be in place for 2025, the poll will determine its future for the 2028 and 2031 local government elections.

“We’re disappointed in the government’s position, and don't believe a poll gives Māori voters an opportunity to decide on their own representation,” says Mayor Holborow

“It’s about ensuring communities of interest have an opportunity to vote for who will represent them best, remembering that all councillors swear to execute and perform their duties in the best interest of the entire Kāpiti Coast District.”

The Bill also requires councils to re-affirm or reverse (rescind) their decision to establish Māori wards.

Re-affirming their decision today means Council will continue with the current representation review to determine representation arrangements, including establishing the new Māori ward, for the 2025 local government elections.

“In coming to this decision, we’ve listened to all of the feedback, and respected the views of everyone in the community, but particularly those most affected,” says Mayor Holborow.

Consultation on Kāpiti Coast District Council’s proposed structure for the 2025 elections will begin this Thursday, 8 August 2024.

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