Minutes of a meeting of the Māori Committee

 

Date:                           Wednesday 21 August 2024

Time:                          10.00am

Venue:

Council Chamber

Hawke's Bay Regional Council

159 Dalton Street

NAPIER

 

Present:                        M Paku (Heretaunga) (Co-chair)

K Kawana (Wairoa) (Co-chair)(online)

M Apatu (Heretaunga)

P Eden (Te Whanganui-a-Orotū)

Cr W Foley (online)

Cr C Lambert

R Maaka (Tamatea)

H Mita (Wairoa Taiwhenua)

Cr H Ormsby

A Robin (Te Whanganui-a-Orotū)

P Sciascia (Tamatea)

A Te Whaiti (Heretaunga)

 

In Attendance:        T Munro – Te Pou Whakarae

K Brunton – Group Manager Policy & Regulation

J Smith-Ballingall – Manager, Central & Internal Relationships

N Heath – Area Manager Northern Hawke's Bay

A Tipene-Matua - Māori Relationship Manager Southern HB

T Gilbert – Senior Advisor - Māori

L Hooper – Team Leader Governance

TK Hawaikirangi – Kaihautū Pūtaiao - Mātauranga Māori

J Nelson-Smith – Tamatea Pōkai Whenua Board member & RPC rep, Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Inc Board Member, Te Taiwhenua o Tamatea Chair, Waipukurau Marae Trust Chair

M Mohi – Ngati Tuwharetoa Hapu Forum RPC representative, Nga Whanua Rahui Fund Komiti member, Pan Pac cultural rep, Te Kauwae Charitable Trust board member

M McIlroy – Tātau Tātau o te Wairoa RPC representative (online)

T Hopmans – Māungaharuru-Tangitū Trust RPC representative

T Eden – Mana Ahuriri Trust RPC representative (online)

K Brown – Te Kopere o te Iwi Hineuru RPC representative (online)

 

1.         Welcome/Karakia /Apologies

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and Api Robin opened with a karakia.

The Chair recognised the representatives of the Regional Planning Committee in attendance to speak to the Māori wards issue.

Resolution

MC19/24

That the apologies for absence from Bayden Barber, Dianne Smith and Councillor Sophie Siers be accepted.

Maaka/Apatu

CARRIED

 

 

5.

Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2024 – recommendation to HBRC

 

Te Wairama Munro, Te Pou Whakarae, introduced the purpose of this item, being to make a recommendation to the regional council . Korero included:

·  A change between the Māori roll and General roll is now not able to be made for a period of  3 months prior to an election.

·  The one person, one vote rule extends to ratepayers on the ratepayer role, for example if a Trust owns property they must nominate 1 person to vote on behalf of the Trust as the representative on the ratepayer roll.

·  Hinewai Ormsby explained the decision the regional council must make to meet the requirements of this divisive legislative change, which HBRC submitted in opposition to.

·  Constitutional remedy is required to prevent politicians using Māori as a political tool.

·  Strongly endorse the continuation of Māori constituencies and the consequential work to educate the public ahead of the 2025 poll.

·  Māori and Regional Planning Committee representatives are also marae chairs, marae committee members, PSGE trust board members, kohanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori board members, sit on land trusts, so have confidence that they represent the voice of Māori and are fully supportive of the Regional Council resolving to retain the Māori constituencies.

·  Palmerston North CC is seeking legal advice on any implications of not complying with the poll requirement, and Whakatane and Far North councils have shown support for that.  Northland RC also has a motion at LGNZ AGM today asking that LGNZ pushes for a 75% majority for any changes to Māori wards.

MC20/24

Resolutions

That the Māori Committee:

1.      Receives and considers the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2024 – recommendation to HBRC staff report.

2.      Recommends that Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

2.1     resolves to retain the Māui ki te Raki and Māui ki te Tonga Māori constituencies for the 2025 elections.

Eden/Sciascia

CARRIED unanimously

with the support of the Regional Planning Committee representatives

 

2.         Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

 

3.

Alternate member appointments

MC23/24

Resolution

That Ana Te Whaiti be appointed as a member of the Māori Committee for the meeting of 4 September 2024 as a short term replacement on the Committee for Haami Hilton.

Apatu/Maaka

CARRIED

 

 

Māori Representation

 

Further discussion about additional ways to support the regional council in advocating in support of Māori representation and legislative change covered:

·  Ngai Taku and Canterbury Regional Council partnership model

·  Māori representatives sitting on Council without voting rights

·  The Māori Partnerships team will seek information in relation to options for legislative change and partnership arrangements to provide options and pathways for workshopping in future.

 

Resolutions

MC21/24       1.       That the Māori Committee supports the Regional Council continuing to advocate in support of Māori representation in opposition to the current coalition government’s stance.

Paku/Sciascia

CARRIED

 

MC22/24       1.       The 21 August 2024 Māori Committee and RPC PSGE appointees hui supports the Regional Council seeking constitutional remedies and protection in regards to the continuity of Māori Wards/Constituencies and Māori seats.

Eden/Apatu

CARRIED unanimously

 

Marei Apatu offered a karakia to close the meeting.

There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 11.09am.

 

Signed as a true and correct record.

Date: by Māori Committee resolution 4 September 2024       Chair: Mike Paku