Māori Party congratulates the New Plymouth District Council

te-pati-maori

Thu Sep 25 2014 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Māori Party congratulates the New Plymouth District Council

Thursday, 25 September 2014, 9:20 am
Press Release: The Maori Party

The Māori Party congratulates the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) for its foresight in the establishment of a Māori ward this week.

“This is a giant leap forward for democracy for tāngata whenua in the northern Taranaki district and will ensure that a Māori voice is heard at the Council table,” says Co-leader Tariana Turia.

“When Māori are the minority in any community it is vital that there is a guaranteed pathway for an independent Māori voice. We congratulate the NPDC who now join Environment Bay of Plenty and the Waikato Regional Council who also have Māori representation in their arrangements,” says Co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell.

“It is heartening to see more local bodies taking such as inclusive approach so that Māori can participate in the decision-making process. I encourage the citizens of the NPDC to embrace this decision and see a Māori voice at the table as crucial to democracy.”

ends

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}

Using Scoop for work?

Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.

Join Pro Individual Find out more

Find more from The Maori Party on InfoPages.