2 x Articles 4/11/19 - Iwi seats, Unelected member voting

[Kiwi Frontline]

FOUR OF FIVE IWI SEATS EMPTY AT MARLBOROUGH DISTRICT COUNCIL

Four of five iwi positions at the Marlborough District Council remain empty, with many of the region's Māori skilled in governance "wrapped up in their own iwi dynamics".

The council's one iwi representative Richard Hunter said iwi were "getting on with their business", but called for them to get on board with wider district issues.

Māori representation was a hot topic in Marlborough's local body elections this year, with the region's youth calling for more iwi leaders around the council table.....

www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-government/117053653/four-of-five-iwi-seats-empty-at-marlborough-district-council

[Kiwi Frontline]

NON-ELECTED MEMBER GETS VOTING RIGHTS ON NEW PLYMOUTH DISTRICT COUNCIL COMMITTEE

Concerns have been raised about the non-elected member voting on New Plymouth District Council's new committee - but it's not uncommon.

The council's committee restructure was approved last week at  the first council meeting of the new term, and sees the Strategy and Operations Committee give voting rights to the non-elected member who is also chair of Te Huinga Taumatua Committee.

At Wednesday's meeting, councillor Murray Chong moved that the voting rights of the non-elected member of Strategy and Operations - who has not been confirmed - be removed, but no one would second the motion.

Councillor Gordon Brown said it was nothing new to have non-members voting on committees.

"The reality is this is becoming common practice amongst many councils across New Zealand these days."

One person voting in a group of 16 to bring a Māori perspective to what the committee was doing was very healthy, he added.

Te Huinga has five nominated iwi representatives with voting rights,....

www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/117076891/nonelected-member-gets-voting-rights-on-new-plymouth-district-council-committee