Consultation on Māori wards in Hastings district begins tomorrow

Hastings District Council has today agreed to start community engagement on the establishment of Māori wards in time for the 2022 local authority elections.

At an emergency meeting this morning, councillors present unanimously agreed to start consulting with the community from tomorrow [April 23] until May 12.

People will be able to give their feedback on whether or not they support Māori wards on the www.myvoicemychoice.co.nz website or via forms that will be available at the Hastings District Council administration building on Lyndon Rd East, as well as the Hastings, Flaxmere and Havelock North libraries.

The consultation, and the timeframes, will be advertised widely, including in local newspapers, and on the Hastings District Council website and social media channels.

In addition, hui will be held at marae across the district and any group is welcome to request a meeting if they wish to find out more.

On May 18, an extraordinary meeting will take place for Council to decide whether or not to establish Maori wards.

Should the decision be to introduce Māori wards, Council would then have to undertake a representation review to decide the overall number of Councillors, number of wards and ward boundaries including Māori wards.

This representation review is subject to a formal community consultation process with the initial proposals publicly notified by September 8, 2021, followed by formal consultation and the hearing of submissions in late October.

22 April 2021

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