Latest news with #MāoriWard
Scoop
2 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Local Business Owner, Glen Williams, Selected As ACT Local Candidate For Palmerston North City Council
ACT Local has selected Glen Williams – a longtime Palmerston North resident and successful business owner – as its candidate for Palmerston North in this year's local election. Born in Levin, Glen and his family have lived in Palmerston North for more than 2 decades. His manufacturing business, Redpath Greenhouses, employs over 25 local people. Welltravelled and known for his strong work ethic, Glen brings realworld experience in business, people management, and financial oversight – the exact skills needed to make sound decisions, challenge waste, and ensure council delivers real value for ratepayers. Glen is standing to bring new energy to council, and comes without historical baggage or hidden agendas. He understands the importance of focusing on core services, keeping rates under control, and demanding accountability for how every dollar is spent. 'If elected, I'll keep council focused on its core services and work hard to minimise rate increases. I'll scrutinise every spending decision and demand clear justification before debt is increased. I'll strongly oppose the Māori Ward referendum and promote Palmerston North's strengths as a natural regional hub. Most of all, I'll keep reminding council it's your money they're spending, not theirs.' – Glen Williams Earlier this year, ACT New Zealand announced it would be standing Common Sense Candidates for local government for the first time — after hearing from New Zealanders across the country who are sick of rising rates, ballooning budgets, and councils that ignore the basics while chasing ideological vanity projects. When you vote ACT Local, you know what you're getting: Fixing the basics Lower Rates Cutting the waste Stopping race-based politics Restoring accountability Ending the war on cars ACT Local Government spokesperson Cameron Luxton says: ' ACT Local candidates are community-minded Kiwis who've had enough of wasteful councils treating ratepayers like ATMs. It's time to take control on behalf of ratepayers — to restore accountability and deliver real value for money. ACT Local is about getting the basics right: maintaining roads, keeping streets clean, and respecting the people who pay the bills. Our candidates won't divide people by race or get distracted by climate vanity projects. They're here to serve, not lecture." – Cameron Luxton
NZ Herald
24-06-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Māori voters: Deadline to change rolls for October elections is July 10
Māori voters have until July 10 if they wish to change electoral rolls which allows them to vote in either the General Ward or the Māori Ward for the Gisborne District Council election being held on October 11. Māori voters who wish to change electoral rolls before the local body elections in October have until July 10 to make their choice. Voters enrolled in Ikaroa-Rāwhiti will be able to vote in Gisborne District Council's Tairāwhiti Māori Ward (five councillors) while voters registered in the East Coast electorate will
Scoop
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Briefing Session For Aspiring Local Government Candidates
Taupō District Council's electoral officer Warwick Lampp will be hosting a candidate briefing session in Taupō on Tuesday 1 July. Any interested or intending candidates for the local government elections in October are welcome to come along to find out more and ask questions at the session, which will be held at 6pm on Tuesday 1 July at Waiora House, 100 Kaimanawa Street, Taupō. Deputy electoral officer Shainey James says she's hoping to see a wide range of people at the briefing next week. 'Taupō District needs leaders from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. 'Becoming a councillor is a great opportunity to help the community. A democracy only succeeds if people are prepared to give it a go, do their bit and have a say. 'The session is designed to help you find out what being an elected member is all about and to see if you're up for the challenge. "This role is both demanding and rewarding - you'll drive change that benefits people and communities now and for generations to come,' said Ms James. The session will cover the key dates candidates need to be aware of, how the nomination process works, the different roles, General and Māori wards, the Māori Ward poll, what candidates can and can't do while campaigning and being an elected member involves. The session will be livestreamed at @TaupoDistrictCouncilNZ. You can join the livestream and send any questions in advance tosjames@ Candidate nominations are open from 4 July until 12 noon on Friday 1 August. To find out more about the 2025 elections visit
Scoop
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Calling The Voices Of Tairāwhiti To Enrol, Stand And Vote
Tō Reo, Tō Mana, Your Voice, Your Power – is the call to action from the Gisborne District Council to encourage the people of Tairāwhiti to participate in this year's local body elections and referendum this October. Council Chief Executive Nedine Thatcher-Swann says now is the time for people to check they're enrolled and their contact details are up to date — especially for those thinking about standing for Council or wanting to make sure their vote, and their voice, counts. 'Elected members play a vital role in our communities. They uphold the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and make decisions that impact our local services, rules, investment and plans for the future of our region,' she says. 'Standing for Council is about stepping up to represent your whānau, community and values. Bringing their voices and ideas forward to make important decisions for the future of our community over the next three years.' 'You don't need any special qualifications. Strong communication, leadership, and decision-making skills are helpful, as is being open-minded, respectful and having a genuine commitment to your community.' 'It's also essential that we see more of our community exercising their right to vote when papers are posted out in September,' says Ms Thatcher Swann. "In 2022, only 43% of those enrolled in Tairāwhiti voted, with Māori and young people notably under-represented. This year, we're rolling out an impactful campaign ahead of election day to inspire more people totake action." This year people must also decide the future of Māori Wards for Tairāwhiti in a referendum. 'A decision to keep or remove Māori Wards will determine how our community is represented in the future.' Anyone considering standing for the 2025 elections will need to choose whether to run in the Māori Ward (5 seats), the General Ward (8 seats), or for Mayor (1). To help potential candidates understand what's involved in being an elected member, Council is hosting a series of Candidate Information Evenings during June and July. These events are an opportunity to learn more about what it means to become an elected member, the requirements for the role, including time commitments, responsibilities, and the rules around campaigning. 'These are relaxed and informative evenings where you can ask questions and get a real feel for what's involved in becoming an elected member,' says Ms Thatcher-Swann. 'Whether you're passionate about infrastructure, housing, the environment, or local development, standing for Council is an opportunity to represent your community and influence the future of Te Tairāwhiti.' Thinking about standing for Council? To be eligible, you must be a New Zealand citizen, aged 18 or over, and enrolled on the parliamentary electoral roll. You'll need to complete a nomination form, have it signed by two people enrolled in the ward that you're standing in, and pay a $200 deposit. Nominations open Friday 4 July and close at 12 noon on Friday 1 August. Nomination forms will be available from Council offices and on the Council website. Late nominations will not be accepted. For more information about how to stand, candidate requirements, and upcoming information evenings, visit
RNZ News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
‘Forgotten their roots': Te Matatini risks alienating regions
Te Tauihu kapa haka team Te Kuru Marutea secured the People's Choice award in Taranaki in 2025, but won't be able to perform at home in 2027. Photo: Supplied/Te Matatini Te Matatini risks alienating the regions with its decision not to host the 2027 event in Te Tauhihu, Whakatū Nelson's Māori Ward councillor has warned. It was announced on Monday that the next national kapa haka competition will not be hosted in the Top of the South , as had been planned since 2013. Society heamana (chair) Tā Herewini Parata said the decision was not a reflection on Te Tauihu (the Top of the South Island). "As the festival continues to grow in size and significance, the planning and delivery of Te Matatini must reflect that scale," he said. "While this decision is heartbreaking for many, we have had to be realistic and seriously re-evaluate the risks of holding Te Matatini in its current format in our smaller regions." The festival had seen "unprecedented growth" and despite Te Tauihu working hard to find solutions, Parata said concerns remained, particularly around accommodation and transport - about 70,000 people attended the 2025 event in Taranaki. Te Matatini was now inviting expressions of interest for hosting the 2027 event. Nelson's Māori Ward councillor said the news was "outrageously disappointing". "We had quite a few options on the table that we've got plenty of time to be able to deliver on those, but… they're not interested in trying to keep Te Matatini connected to the regions," Kahu Paki Paki said. Nelson Whakatū Māori Ward councillor Kahu Paki Paki says the decision to pull out of Te Tauihu risks alienating other regions around the motu. Photo: Andrew Board/Nelson Weekly "They run the risk, a very serious risk, of isolating some of the regions that won't even get a chance to host." He acknowledged that there were some "challenges" in hosting Ngā Kapa Haka Kura Tuarua, the national secondary schools' kapa haka festival, in 2024 but they had provided "good learning lessons" for local organisers and ultimately the event was a "great success". Kapa haka was community-focused and community-building, and so the prospect of iwi and hapū around the motu missing out on hosting Te Matatini in favour of the main centres was "really sad", Paki Paki said. "If Taranaki could do it, and they did it really well, there's no reason why we couldn't have done it just as well… they have forgotten their roots, they've walked away from the regions. It's a real shame." Parata was not able to respond in time for publication, but on Tuesday morning he told Waatea News that he acknowledged that the decision was "disappointing" for Te Tauihu. "There's over a million people in New Zealand that have got an opinion on Te Matatini - and their opinions are all right - however it's the board's decision to make," he said. But he added that there was still "a lot of goodwill" for the regions. "Maybe, I can't say outright, we need to look at the whole festival and ways of hosting Te Matatini in the smaller rohe." That could include potentially reducing the number of kapa haka groups that participate down from the current 55 so areas like Te Tauihu could host the festival in the "near future". Nelson and Tasman's mayors are also disappointed in the decision, but understood the capacity concerns from Te Matatini. Tasman Mayor Tim King said even though the two youth kapa haka events Te Tauihu previously hosted were "very successful", there were still challenges with many people travelling daily between Nelson and Marlborough. Nelson Mayor Nick Smith said the benefits of hosting Te Matatini outweighed the costs for the council, and that the organisation had supported hosting the event locally "at every step". Both hoped Te Tauihu would be able to host the event in the future and would be keen to see the return of the youth competitions again. "We… are keen for this uniquely New Zealand art to still be very welcome in the city and region," Smith said. Sonny Alesana, chair of the local Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Māui Māori Cultural Council. Photo: Supplied Sonny Alesana, heamana (chair) of the local Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Māui Māori Cultural Council, was hopeful the region could have the opportunity to host again sometime in the future. "We are disappointed, but we also understand the pressure Te Matatini is under, both in terms of its growth and the financial implications of that," he said. "We are committed to continuing to work with Te Matatini to ensure Te Tauihu does have its time in the sun and that smaller regions are not automatically disqualified from hosting." Alexander Siebentritt, president of Hospitality NZ's Nelson branch said hosting Te Matatini would have had "very positive effects" for the local economy - the 2023 event in Tāmaki Makarau Auckland generated more than $26 million. "We just simply have to carry on and focus on how we can find alternatives to fill these gaps." He said the region was "fantastic" and able to cater to large events. "This is a great opportunity for another great event to be hosted in our region, if there's anyone out there, I've just heard some dates in February 2027, became available." Concerns about the region's ability to host the event in 2027 were thrown into the spotlight in March when Te Mauri o Te Matatini was not passed from Taranaki representatives to Te Tauihu. Local Democracy Reporting is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
