The Local Government Commission has rejected a last-ditch push for Taranaki Regional Council to have two Māori seats at this year's elections.
File pic Photo: RNZ
TRC voted last September to stick with 11 councillors, which meant one Māori constituency under election rules.
But an appeal to the Local Government Commission called for an increase to 13 councillors, so two seats would be decided by Māori electoral roll voters.
At the commission hearing in December, Emily Bailey (Taranaki, Ngāti Mutunga, Te Ātiawa) said one Māori councillor was not enough.
"Having one spokesperson for all of our eight iwi… is a huge job.
"There's about 46 marae in Taranaki and there's around 62 hapū - that's a huge responsibility on one person."
Bailey said the council had shown a racial divide for generations.
"A council dominated by old, white men needs to see its racial bias and the power and privilege they have to maintain that status quo."
Paora Laurence (Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama) told the commissioners the council needed Māori representatives from the region's north and south.
"I believe two seats are needed to enable participation, partnership, and protection of air land and water."
David MacLeod Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
TRC chair David MacLeod was one of four councillors who initially favoured two Māori seats and voted against the 11-seat option.
But speaking for the council in the December hearing, he said the 13-seat proposal had been rejected after meetings and workshops.
"That was robustly debated amongst the councillors… that robust debate presents the case that serious consideration was given to the many options."
The commissioners have decided to stick with 11 councillors, including a single Māori constituency.
"Ultimately, we agree with the council that 13-members would be likely to lead to over-governance of the region and we agree that an 11-member council is more appropriate for the size of the region.
"We therefore uphold the council's final representation proposal of an 11-member council, with 10 general constituency members and one Māori constituency member."
The commissioners said they acknowledged the burden a single Māori member would face representing the whole region.
"We recommend that the council ensure that sufficient support is provided to the Māori constituency member, to recognise the larger geographic area and diversity of communities that [they] will be representing."
Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
