The Issue of Māori wards: We need not have the tyranny of the majority (pn678)

The tyranny of the majority is an inherent weakness to majority rule in which the majority of an electorate pursues exclusively its own objectives at the expense of those of the minority factions. -- Wikipedia.

For the moment, Don Brash and Hobson's Pledge's  attempt to prevent a dedicated Māori ward in Tauranga seems to have been successful. A referendum will now be held at a cost of $220,000.  In the past 20 years 22 of 24  attempts to establish Māori wards have been overturned.  The majority —Pākehā vote— has not safeguarded the rights of the under-represented minority.  

This situation could be about to change. Government intends to ensure minority Māori voices are heard. Diehards may not accept this but sometimes affirmative action is needed to correct  demographic and other imbalances. 

Although only indirectly related to the issue of Māori wards, two recently released reports on Māori health illustrate why separate Māori  representation is sometimes needed.  Māori cancer death rates are double non-Maori, and rheumatic fever  has been called the "racist disease."  

Acute rheumatic fever is endemic mostly in Māori and Pacific communities. It affects mainly the young, aged between five and 14 who live in cold, damp, overcrowded housing with poor access to health care and can mean a lifetime of poor health and missed opportunities.-- Dr Collin Tukuitonga.

Most of this housing is in urban areas.

On the flip side of the coin, independent, voluntary work by local iwi Ngāti Pāoa is helping restore a healthy Hauraki Gulf seabed presently in danger of ecosystem collapse. Māori kaitiakitanga perspectives and participation in resource management would be improved with Māori wards.

Government's intended action

The Government wants to overturn the “uneven playing field” for Māori wards on local councils, in an effort to increase Māori representation.

Councils can vote to establish Māori wards, however the decision can be overturned by a public poll triggered by a petition with a minimum of five per cent of constituents.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta described the current system as having “a different set of rules for establishing Māori and general wards”.

“The process of establishing a ward should be the same for both Māori and general wards,” Mahuta said.

“Polls have proven to be an almost insurmountable barrier to councils trying to improve the democratic representation of Māori interests.

“This process is fundamentally unfair to Māori.”

Multiple councils have had attempts to establish Māori wards overturned. Since 2002, there had been 24 attempts – with only two councils able to create the wards in that time.

“Increasing Māori representation is essential to ensuring equity in representation and to provide a Māori voice in local decision making,” Mahuta said.

“It will also lead to greater Māori participation in the resource management process.”

She said Government needed to ensure fair representation on councils as part of its commitment to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“Like in Parliamentary elections, specific Māori seats can assist with this.”

The proposed law change would see the option of binding polls on Māori wards scrapped, with the first stage enabling councils to consider creating Māori wards before the 2022 local council elections. The second stage would develop a permanent way for councils to consider Māori wards.

National leader Judith Collins said her party had not discussed the issue as a caucus after being asked today about National’s view on the issue.