Do you support Māori wards, and why do you believe they are (or aren’t) an important component of Porirua City Council?
Anita Baker – Mayoralty
Yes. Under my leadership, the Council unanimously voted to retain a Māori ward. It strengthens representation, honours our Treaty partnership, and ensures Māori perspectives are embedded in local decision-making.
Yan Zhang – Mayoralty
I support Māori wards. The Māori voice is essential to Porirua’s identity and future. Establishing Māori representation honours the Treaty of Waitangi and ensures our council decisions are inclusive and culturally balanced.
Geoff Hayward – Onepoto General Ward
I support Māori wards because they ensure Māori voices are heard in decision-making, not just consulted after the fact. Porirua is stronger when all communities have a seat at the table, helping us make fairer and more future-focused decisions. Good governance depends on good representation, and as the whakataukī says: he kaimāra pai, he pai marakai, when leadership is strong, the outcomes are strong. Māori wards are a vital part of building a council that reflects the diversity and mana of our kaleidoscope city.
Chris Ellis – Onepoto General Ward
I know, as a lawyer, that the Crown has a commitment under the Treaty of Waitangi to ensure that Maori have an effective voice in public affairs. Maori wards and Maori candidates exist to address that commitment and I hope Maori feel that this system gives them a stronger voice.
Ross Leggett – Pāuatahanui General Ward
Yes. It strengthens representation, honours our Treaty partnership and ensures that we get a Maori perspective in our decision making.
Nathan Waddle – Pāuatahanui General Ward
I support them. We are better together than we are apart, abolishing Māori wards would drive an unnecessary wedge in our community. Central government should spend their time focussing on real national issues.
Ura Wilson-Pokoati – Mayoralty and Onepoto General Ward
Yes, I strongly support Māori wards. They are a vital step toward honouring Te Tiriti o
Waitangi and ensuring Māori have a seat at the decision-making table. Māori wards
bring:
- Equity in representation
- Cultural insight in governance
- A commitment to partnership, not tokenism Porirua must lead by example.
Māori wards are not just symbolic, they’re structural change that reflects our
values.
Brent Ching – Pāuatahanui General Ward
I do support Maori wards. This recognises the special partnership we have with our local Iwi.
Kylie Wihapi – Parirua Māori Ward
Yes I support Māori wards. A form a representation. Having a directly elected Maori ward councillor at the decision making table leads to improved and strengthened relationships within communities.
Moira Lawler – Pāuatahanui General Ward
Yes I support Māori wards as one way to acknowledge the rangatiratanga of tangata whenua. We lose nothing by including a Māori ward and gain a great deal of expertise and engagement with residents often excluded from Council decision making.
Rawinia Rimene – Parirua Māori Ward
Absolutely. Māori wards are essential for restoring balance, honouring Te Tiriti, and ensuring mana whenua voices shape decisions that affect our whenua, taiao, and whānau. Representation isn’t a favour..it’s a right.
Josh Trlin – Pāuatahanui General Ward
I strongly support Māori wards. Te Tiriti is the foundation that Aotearoa New Zealand is built upon, and upholding it is both the right thing to do and good governance practice. At PCC we have worked hard to maintain an ongoing partnership with Ngati Toa as mana whenua, and that strong relationship benefits all Porirua residents – Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti alike. Our Māori Ward guarantees that there will always be a Māori voice around the council table, and that is the least we can do to honour te Tiriti. Toitū Te Tiriti!
Phill Houlihan – Pāuatahanui General Ward
I do not support Māori Wards because they reduce the legitimacy of General Ward candidates. If Māori chose to vote on the Māori roll, those Māori cannot vote for the General Wards. Therefore, all of us General Ward candidates can get elected without the support of all Māori. That’s a problem for me.
Moze Galo – Onepoto General Ward
Yes, I support Māori wards. They are about fair representation, not favouritism. Māori wards help ensure mana whenua and Māori communities have a clear voice in council decisions. In Porirua, partnership and respect are part of who we are, and Māori wards strengthen that foundation.
Angel Domingos – Onepoto General Ward
Yes. They help councils honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi by recognising the partnership between Māori and the Crown. Māori also bring unique values and insights that can be an asset to council decision-making, especially when it comes to our environment.
Kathleen Filo – Mayor and Onepoto General Ward
Yes. Māori wards honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and ensure Māori voices are represented in decisions that shape our city.