Option 11 General ward with 7 elected members and 1 Māori ward with 3 elected members
Ngā Whakaritenga Whakaahuahanga Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Rotorua 2022 | Rotorua Lakes Council Representation Review 2022
Every six years councils are required by law (the Local Electoral Act 2001) to review the way their elected representation is arranged. This ensures that councils effectively and fairly represent the people they serve in their community. Rotorua Lakes Council is currently undertaking a Representation Review which determines the total number of elected members of the Council:
- whether members are to be elected from Māori or general wards and how many from each;
- whether there are 'at large' members (these Council representatives are elected based on votes from both the general and Māori rolls);
- the name and boundaries of wards; and
- any alteration to existing community boards.
The Rotorua district last undertook this process in 2015. Council has reviewed the representation for Rotorua District and is seeking the public's feedback on its preferred option.
Ngā Māngai Māori me Te Matakitenga o Te Arawa 2050 | Māori Representation and the Te Arawa Vision 2050
Te Tatau o Te Arawa mahi is guided by the Te Arawa Vision which started from a blank canvas and was coloured by the voices of Te Arawa hapū, iwi and uri.
Our advocacy on Māori representation stems from the Vision’s strategic priority of:
Te Arawa Rangatiratanga | Leadership and Influence
One of our whāinga tawhiti that we are striving to achieve is that:
Our future has the best leaders making and effectively implementing the best decisions about our resources to continuously achieve the best outcomes for our people. We lead, create and shape kōrero, partnerships and opportunities that bring about positive change on kaupapa that affect us.
He hokinga mahara | A Reminder
Earlier this year Te Tatau o Te Arawa sought feedback from descendants about the Māori Ward conversation. We held numerous hui with our people of Te Arawa. Following engagement, we submitted a report to Council confirming the view of Te Arawa and requesting that:
- Rotorua Lakes Council establishes Māori wards and retains Te Tatau o Te Arawa; and
- The representation review to follow, reflects the outcome of the establishment of Māori wards.
Click on the button below to read the full report.
Ngā kōwhiringa e toru | The three options originally considered by Council
Following input from Te Tatau o Te Arawa, Rotorua Lakes Council voted to establish Māori Wards for the 2022 elections and as part of their Representation Review process considered different options to integrate Māori wards into the council structure. The council shortlisted the following three options, before landing on its preferred option which the council sought submissions on between 8 Sept – 8 Oct 2021.
Public submissions sought
On 31 August 2021, Council resolved to adopt option 3 for consultation:
- 1 General ward with 4 elected members
- 1 Māori ward with 2 elected members; and
- 4 elected members ‘at large’ (elected by those on the general and Māori rolls)
This option forms the 'Initial Proposal' that the Council published and sought public submissions on between 08 September and 08 October.
Did Te Tatau lodge a submission?
Yes, we submitted a tono in support of the option that our people and those enrolled on the Māori electoral roll told us they want.
Along with the feedback we’d already collated when we engaged with Te Arawa on Māori wards, we’ve also held webinars, polls and a survey to find out which option you prefer.
The results from the survey show that Option 2 is preferred by about 80 per cent of those who participated will also help shape our submission to Council.
Our Tono to Rotorua Lakes Council
Te Tatau o Te Arawa's submission has been endorsed by multiple Te Arawa entities and was lodged with Rotorua Lakes Council on 08 October 2021.
Mātaki mai | Watch this
Click on the image below to hear from Te Tatau o Te Arawa executive officer, Jude Pani, and our board members, Rawiri Waru and Kēpa Morgan who present a webinar explaining the Representation Review.
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