Māori wards and constituencies have been around since 2001 and were introduced in Porirua in 2022. Māori wards and constituencies exist alongside general wards and represent those people of Māori descent. The wards are an avenue for Māori to have representation and contribute towards decision-making matters at council.
Between 2002 and the present, central government has debated about the establishment of Māori wards and constituencies in local government. Over this time, central government has also debated about the requirement for 5% of the enrolled population to demand a poll to be held to determine the status of the Māori wards and constituencies (poll provisions).
Porirua City Council was required by central government to decide whether they would disestablish Porirua’s Māori Ward immediately, or take the question to the voters at the 2025 local elections. In August 2024, Porirua City Council decided to hold a poll at the next elections.
The question about Māori wards and constituencies will put to all those who are enrolled, regardless of which electoral roll they are enrolled on.
Although the question’s exact format is yet to be determined, voters will be asked whether they would like the Parirua Māori Ward to remain or to be removed.
Voters will additionally be asked whether they would prefer Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Te Upoko a te Ika a Māui Māori Constituency to remain or to be removed.
The outcome of the poll will take effect from 2028 and be binding for two election periods. The poll provisions will be reinstated (regardless of this poll outcome) from 2034.
General Electoral Roll: A ward is a geographic area in a district or city council, and includes the suburb/area that you are enrolled in.
Councillors are elected to represent the area's population and the unique needs of that community. Elected councillors also make a declaration once elected, to act in the best interests of the city as a whole.
Multiple wards can be established across the council's area, with multiple councillor positions available in each, depending on how many people are enrolled on the General Electoral Roll and total population.
Porirua city has two general wards: Pāuatahanui General and Onepoto General.
Māori Electoral Roll: The ward is city-wide across a district or city council for those of Māori descent.
Councillors are elected to represent the unique needs of the community. Elected councillors also make a declaration once elected, to act in the best interests of the city as a whole.
Multiple councillor positions can be available within the ward, depending on how many people are enrolled on the Māori Electoral Roll and total population.
Porirua City has one Māori Ward: Parirua Māori.
A constituency is similar to ward but used to describe areas and populations in a regional council.
Greater Wellington Regional Council has six general constituencies: Kāpiti Coast, Pōneke/Wellington, Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai/Lower Hutt, Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta/Upper Hutt and Wairarapa.
Greater Wellington Regional Council has one Māori constituency: Te Upoko a te Ika a Māui.
A poll means to record the opinion or vote of a population.
At the 2025 local elections, the population will be polled on the Māori wards and constituencies in Porirua.
The poll provisions are the rules around what is required to allow for council to poll the population on Māori wards and constituencies in the future.
The poll provisions will be reinstated from 2028 as they were before 2021, including the following:
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