The Upper Hutt City council voted not to provide the opportunity for electors to vote in the 2025 local body elections for a Māori ward which will give Māori representation on council as of right. The decision was made as Upper Hutt does not at this time have a Māori ward although there had been the intention by council to include one. This was before central government changed the process and made it mandatory that a vote to establish a Māori ward on council would be required by all councils that already had one in the coming local body election. Upper Hutt does not have to have this decided by electors as the council has already decided for us not to give us the chance to vote on establishing a Māori ward, this is undemocratic and plays into the growing interference of central government into local body affairs.
A Māori ward will not only benefit Māori in Upper Hutt, but all citizens will enjoy the benefit of a Māori oversight of things that affect Upper Hutt especially environmental protection of our natural taonga. A petition to require council to give the electors in Upper Hutt’s local body election has been started it can be found and signed online or there will be paper copies available in the community soon. If you want to help with distribution of this petition please contact Teresa Homan tshoman@kinect.co.nz or phone 0223127259. Please find a petition and sign it.
A “Thank You” to Teresa for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.
30/10/24
The Upper Hutt Connection 