Māori ward confirmed for next two Taupō district elections
CHRIS MARSHALL/Stuff
Interest was high in the Taupō District Council discussion on whether to introduce Māori wards for the 2022 election.
The Local Government Commission has approved a new Māori ward with two seats for the Taupō district which will be in place for the next two local government elections.
The Tūrangi-Tongariro Community Board has also been dropped in favour of a single Tūrangi-Tongariro Ward councillor and a new co-governance committee with equal representation from council and Ngāti Tūrangitukua.
According to a statement from the Taupō District Council the arrangements for the 2022 and 2025 elections will be:
– Taupō Ward of seven councillors (no change)
– Mangakino-Pouakani Ward of one councillor (no change)
– Taupō East Rural Ward of one councillor (no change)
– Tūrangi-Tongariro Ward of one councillor (reduced from two councillors)
– One district-wide Māori Ward–Te Papamārearea of two councillors (new ward)
– One mayor elected at large (no change)
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The new arrangements will apply for the next Taupō district election on October 8, 2022, and for the 2025 election.
Following a decision to establish a Māori ward made in early 2021, the council was required to take a fresh look at how many elected members there would be and what communities they would represent.
Subsequently, the Local Government Commission (LGC) reviewed that decision to ensure fair and effective representation for people and their communities and to strengthen local democracy.
The commission noted the Taupō District Council was developing a Mana Whakahono ā Rohe partnership agreement with Ngāti Tūrangitukua, a hapū of Ngāti Tuwharetoa that holds mana whenua of the Tūrangi township and its surrounds.
Under this proposed partnership agreement, a co-governance committee with equal representation from council and Ngāti Tūrangitukua is to be established.
This committee will effectively fulfil the role the Tūrangi-Tongariro Community Board plays within the Ngāti Tūrangitukua rohe.
To ensure the wider Tongariro area is also fairly represented, a representative group is to be established by council, and will be delegated the powers and functions currently held by the Tūrangi-Tongariro Community Board.
This is similar to existing arrangements within the district that ensure effective representation for the Kinloch, Mangakino-Pouakani and Taupō East Rural areas.