A decision to establish Māori wards for the 2025 local body elections demonstrates Napier City Council's "commitment" to ensuring equal representation, Mayor Kirsten Wise says. 

The unanimous vote, with the abstention of councillor Tania Wright, came after five months of public consultation, two days of hearings and criticism from some who believe council should have moved sooner. 

In presenting the motion to implement Māori wards, Wise said although she understood the frustration and disappointment when Māori Wards were not established for the 2022 elections, she had an obligation to provide the full community with the opportunity to contribute to the decision. 

Although more than half of the 1300 submissions were against the wards, 95 per cent of those on the Māori roll submitted in favour and all those who spoke to their submission this week agreed it should be established. 

“It is important to understand, first, that consultation is not a poll and second considering the content of the submissions is equally if not more important than the volume for or against,” Wise said in her speech today. “We must also consider other factors such as our statutory obligations and the views of those who are most affected by any changes.”

In summarising their positions, councillors spoke of their personal convictions, their journeys and learnings over the past months in the run-up to making a decision. They spoke of the introduction of Māori wards as opening the door to true partnership, adding power and mana to the council, honouring the Treaty of Waitangi and adding ways for Māori representation rather than replacing any that exist already.

Speaking to Hawke's Bay App afterwards, Wise said the wards were "absolutely vital" but so too was the need to "take the time" and get the community's perspective before making such a decision. 

"For us, we were in a position where we had never really had a conversation or consulted with our community on Māori wards unlike a lot of other councils around the country who were able to make that earlier decision," she said. 

"We felt that it was vital we took the time, actually went out to the community, made sure they knew what Māori wards were and what it meant for us as a community so that when they provided their feedback to us it was informed feedback and we could then consider everybody's views before we came to our decision." 

Her key reasons for supporting Māori ward implementation were that it guarantees Māori participation in decision-making , helps enable a stronger bi-cultural perspective for Council planning and decision-making and creates a balance of Te Ao Māori and tau iwi and provides Māori with a greater voice at the table and enables greater engagement on local issues. 

"Certainly when you consider our obligations under a number of legislative acts and also when you consider the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, we do have to ensure that Māori are represented and are participating in local decision making so I think the decision today to establish Māori wards clearly demonstrated that we are committed to doing that." 

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