Councillors in Palmerston North City and Kaikoura, Manawatu, Whakatane and Western Bay of Plenty districts have voted to proceed with separate Maori wards without consulting local residents. It is now over to local residents to demand a vote on the matter. If you live in these areas you can join the fight by signing your local petition (you can download the forms below) being an organiser or foot trooper collecting signatures. Remember, every signature counts!
Click here to hear Ron Mark's excellent speech against the Maori Party's Local Electoral (Equitable Process for Establishing Maori Wards and Maori Constituencies) Bill in June 2017. "The Bill presupposes that all Maori think alike" Ron Mark. Fortunately the Bill was defeated.
Hobson’s Pledge believes:
- 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
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We all have the ability to represent our communities through democratic elections on merit. It is demeaning and patronising to suggest a special category for Maori.
WANTED: Organisers and foot troops to collect signatures. Get connected!
Please contact Api on [email protected], Thank you!
Kaikoura District Council
Kaikoura District Councillors voted 8:0 in favour of having one or more Maori wards in the next local body elections in 2019.
Required: signatures of 300 electors (minimum), deadline: February 21 2018.
Please note: only residents registered to vote on Kaikoura District Council's 2016 Electoral Roll or residing within the District and registered on the 2017 General Election Roll can sign the petition.
Can you assist in the campaign? please contact [email protected]
Click here to download petition for Kaikoura District Council
Please mail signed forms immediately to: "Maori Wards Petition", PO Box 84, Feilding 4740. Thank you!
For further information please email [email protected]
Palmerston North City Council
Palmerston North City Councillors voted 11:4 in favour of having two council seats reserved for Maori, elected either via one or more Maori wards or city-wide, ready for the next local body elections in 2019, despite two thirds of submissions received opposing the move.
Councillors voting in FAVOUR of the resolution for separate wards: Tangi Utikere, Aleisha Rutherford, Brent Barrett, Duncan McCann, Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke, Jim Jefferies, Lew Findlay, Lorna Johnson, Rachel Bowen,Susan Baty, Vaughan Dennison
Councillors voting AGAINST the resolution for separate wards: Karen Naylor, Leonie Hapeta, Adrian Broad and Bruno Petrenas
Required: signatures of 2,727 electors (minimum), deadline: February 21 2018.
Please note: only residents registered to vote on the Palmerston North City Council's 2016 Electoral Roll or residing within the City and registered on the 2017 General Election Roll can sign the petition.
Can you assist in the campaign? please contact Don : [email protected] on 06 353 7016, cell 021 448 769
Click here to download petition for Palmerston North City Council
Please mail signed forms immediately to: "Maori Wards Petition", PO Box 84, Feilding 4740. Thank you!
For further information please contact [email protected] on 06 353 7016, cell 021 448 769
Manawatu District Council
Manawatu District Counciilors voted 6:4 (with two abstentions) in favour of having one or more Maori wards at the next local body elections in 2019.
Councillors voting in FAVOUR of the resolution for separate wards: Helen Worboys, Alison Short, Hilary Humphrey
Councillors voting AGAINST the resolution for separate wards: Steve Bielski, Stuart Campbell, Andrew Quarrie
Required: signatures of 1,004 electors (minimum), deadline: February 21 2018.
Please note: only residents registered to vote on the Manawatu District Council's 2016 Electoral Roll or residing within the District and registered on the 2017 General Election Roll can sign the petition.
Can you assist in the campaign? please contact [email protected]
Click here to download petition for Manawatu District Council
Please mail signed forms immediately to: "Maori Wards Petition", PO Box 84, Feilding 4740. Thank you!
For further information please email [email protected]
Whakatane District Council
Whakatane District Councillors voted 6:5 in favour of having one to three more Maori wards at the next local body elections in 2019. The ward system will be reorganised to accommodate three Maori councillors.
Required: signatures of 1,161 electors (minimum), deadline: February 21 2018.
Please note: only residents registered to vote on the Whakatane's District Council's 2016 Electoral Roll or residing within the District and registered on the 2017 General Election Roll can sign the petition.
Can you assist in the campaign? please contact [email protected]
Click here to download petition for Whakatane District Council
Please mail signed forms immediately to: "Maori Wards Petition", P.O. Box 483, Whakatane 3158. Thank you!
For further information please email [email protected]
Western Bay of Plenty District Council
Western Bay of Plenty District Councillors voted 9:3 in favour of having one or more Maori wards at the next local body elections in 2019 after considerable pressure from the Tauranga Moana/Te Arawa ki Takutai Partnership Forum.
Required: signatures of 1,705 electors (minimum), deadline: February 21 2018.
Please note: only residents registered to vote on the Western Bay of Plenty District Council's 2016 Electoral Roll or residing within the District and registered on the 2017 General Election Roll can sign the petition.
Can you assist in the campaign? please contact [email protected]
Click here to download petition for Western Bay of Plenty District Council
Please email signed forms immediately to: "Maori Wards Petition", 75a Dunlop Road, Te Puke, 3119. Thank you!
For further information please email [email protected]
Requirements for a valid demand: Local Electoral Act 2001 Section 19ZC
- the demand must be signed by the specified number of electors (5% of electors at the previous election)
- the elector’s name must appear on the local body or Parliamentary electoral roll within the local body region
- the demand must state the elector’s name and address qualifying the elector to sign