Napier City Council. Photo: RNZ / Tom Kitchin
A proposal from new Napier Mayor Richard McGrath to remove mana whenua voices and voting rights in the council's standing committees for the next council term has failed.
It was an at times tense council meeting, with a packed public gallery, including members of local iwi Ngāti Kahungunu.
During the last triennium, there were two Nga Mānukanuka o te iwi representatives - representing a mana whenua voice - on each of the council's four standing committees, under McGrath's proposal those two representatives would be removed..
Councillor Graeme Taylor asked what is the fundamental reason for making the change from the previous triennium.
"For me it comes down to... having elected members who have sworn an oath to the city of Napier and to uphold the Local Government Act. As a rule we attend all the workshops, all the pre work, the induction process," McGrath replied.
McGrath said it was a new committee structure that was being appointed rather than anyone being removed.
Deputy Mayor Sally Crown also questioned the proposal, saying the issue was one of partnership which means valuing the knowledge of councillors and mana whenua equally.
"So what the proposal in my mind today is, it's a demonstration of gross misjudgement and disrespect not of just our mana whenua but also of our elected members a key part of leadership is to bring people along with you and I've heard from elected members that they themselves have been blindsided by the proposal that was presented."
Councillor Shyann Raihania asked for an amendment to the proposal, which included Ngā Mānukanuka o te Iwi appointments remaining on all standing committees as specialist, voting members with full speaking rights.
She also requested the Mayor to engage with Ngā Mānukanuka o te Iwi members as mandated mana whenua representatives and return with a revised Terms of Reference, including options analysis and legal advice.
McGrath said he would speak against the amendment raised by Raihania.
"While I understand the partnership and representation side of things Māori will still have many opportunities throughout our council," he said.
He was then interrupted by a someone in the crowd, who asked "What are you afraid of?"
"It's nothing to do with afraid," McGrath replied.
The amended proposal was put to a vote and passed with six votes in support and four against, with two abstentions.
When the result of the vote was announced there was applause from the gallery, which then broke into a rendition of Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi.
Napier City Council Voting Tally
For: Whare Isaac-Sharland, Sally Crown, Keith Price, Ronda Chrystal, Shyann Raihania and Graeme Taylor.
Against: Craig Morley, Nigel Simpson, Richard McGrath and Roger Brownlie.
Abstained: Te Kira Lawrence and Greg Mawson.
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