But whether it will go ahead with polling its almost 50,000 electors , as required under new Government legislation, remains to be seen.
The council is the final council in New Zealand out of 45 required to decide on their Māori wards before the Government’s September 6 deadline tonight (apart from the Tauranga City Council which has an extension).
The 10 councillors voted unanimously, reaffirming a decision they made in May to continue with their Ngā Tai o Tokerau Māori ward for the October 2025 local elections(Cr Ann Court was at a meeting in Auckland).
But they pushed back against what Cr Hilda Halkyard-Harawira labelled simply Government efforts to remove Māori from local government with the council having to poll people about this decision to keep the ward.
Tepania said that legal advice would then be considered at the council’s Te Kuaka – Te Ao Māori Committee meeting in December. This council committee is chaired by Te Kahu o Taonui (Iwi Chairs Forum) co-chairman Harry Burkhardt representing 13 iwi.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania plays guitar and sings the Ngāpuhi song, Ngā Pūawai, with meeting participants. Photo / Susan Botting
Today’s council decision pleased the public gallery which broke into the powerful waiaita, Ngā Puawai o Ngāpuhi, which filled the room and spilled outside as the 150 kaumatua, kuia, school students and people young and old attending from the four corners of the Far North greeted the council’s unanimous decision.
The waiata’s first verse poignantly reflected sorrow Māori ward councillor Babe Kapa expressed when talking about the importance of Māori wards and those who did not have a voice: “Whakarongo mai Ki te reo e tangi nei E ringihia ma ana Mai i aku kamo Ngā roimate e. Listen To the voice that is crying out And see pouring out From my eyes The tears”.
Mayor Tepania hit out at the Government.
“Central government has trust issues. They keep telling us (local government) that we need to listen to our people. We are. They don’t trust us to make decisions on behalf of our communities, be it representation, safer speeds or affordable spending.
“Well, I don’t trust central government when it comes to localism, and listening to our people, and making decisions on their behalf.” Tepania, who is also Local Government New Zealand’s Northland board member, said.
Ngāti Hine leader Pita Tipene told the meeting Māori wards were essential in the journey towards strengthened involvement for Māori in local government. Photo / Susan Botting
Eighty-per-cent of the more than 10,000 submissions on the Government’s August 1 Māori ward legislation was in favour of keeping them.
But there had been no changes to the legislation as a result, ahead of it becoming law.
“We are told we need to save money, and yet here we are being forced to have to waste money on a meeting and vote like this,” he said.
The Far North council’s binding poll would cost ratepayers $10,000.
Tepania said he was a friend of new Māori Queen Ngā Wai hono i te pō and would offer his support.
Kaitaia Te Rangi Āniwaniwa Year 13 student Tamarah Waiomio-Ashby shares her views on the council keeping its Māori ward at today's meeting. Photo / Susan Botting
“Our late Kīngi Tūheitia said, “Tāparatia te māhina he pūrangi, he māneanea - let your light shine, let it shine bright to make the darkness fade away”,” Tepania said.
“Today we have the opportunity to shine a light here in the Far North, to uphold Te io Waitangi and let our tamariki hear, see and feel that they matter at this table,” he said.
Tepania said 72 per cent of the Far North’s young people were Māori.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rehi charitable trust chairperson Kipa Munro said after the meeting that like all present, he was not pleased to have to relitigate a decision the council had already made.
But he was pleased with what had been decided, within the challenge of that context.
Far North kaumatua and leaders at today's meeting. Photo / Susan Botting
Today’s marae-style, three-hour-plus meeting was at the Ngāwha innovation park near Kaikohe. Key iwi leaders and supporters came from around the district and as far north as Te Aupouri’s Te Kao. More than half a dozen different speakers addressed the council.
Meeting attendee Horowhenua Mayor and Palmerston North City Councillor Michael Feyen, who is now living in north Hokianga, said all people working together created wonderful possibilities.
