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Three wahine throw hats into ring for Northland Regional Council by-election

 

 

BY SUSAN BOTTING, LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTER FOR NORTHLAND

Three Whangarei women who have publicly thrown their hat into the ring for the Northland Regional Council by-election are all in favour of Maori seats.

Whangarei's Fiona Douglas, Darleen Tana Hoff-Nielsen (Ngapuhi) and Charlotte Toner all say having Maori seats is a plus for councils.

Northland Regional Council (NRC) has been forced into an $80,000 by-election after former deputy-chair and long-time councillor John Bain resigned on the spot and walked out of the council's October 20 meeting just before councillors voted for Maori constituencies.

The women became the first to join the race, at Maori wards-themed meetings in Whangarei recently where former New Plymouth Mayor Andrew Judd spoke in favour of the designated seats.

Toner said she was standing because NRC's councillors were predominantly white, middle-aged men. The same was the case for its executive. It was time for a younger voice.

Toner previously worked at NRC and Far North District Council (FNDC).

She said it was good to see NRC set up its Tai Tokerau Maori advisory committee, but it did not go far enough. She was in favour of Maori constituency representation, partly to be consistent with the Government's Maori seats.

By-election nominations opened on November 24, closing on December 22. Candidates must now campaign over the summer break.

The by-election comes as NRC, Kaipara and Whangarei District Councils, for the first time, vote to have Maori seats on their councils.

Bain is now spearheading a campaign challenging the votes by calling for each to hold a referendum.

Hoff-Nielsen said it should be up to Maori to decide, rather than those on the general electoral role.

She said Maori wards were a no brainer.

"The weird part is the polling thing, that's just bizarre. That needs to be changed," she said.

Douglas said it was unfair to Maori the Local Electoral Act allowed for such polling.

Maori seats were important to bring diverse voices to councils.

LDR BYLINE DIGITAL-874Nominations close on Tuesday December 22 at noon for NRC's Whangarei urban constituency. Special voting opens on January 26, ahead of the February 17 byelection voting day for the constituency's 29,300 registered electors.

Bain has confirmed he is not standing for NRC again.


 
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