Waipa Maori ward candidates Dale-Maree Morgan, left, and Yvonne Waho, extreme right campaigned for the Maori ward
Dale-Maree Morgan – whose Waipā District Council Māori ward seat will be abolished at the next election – says she doubts she will stand in a general ward.
Dale-Maree Morgan
Morgan, who was re-elected to the ward in October’s local body elections having won a by-election in 2023, told The News she felt standing in a general ward would go against her principles. But she will consider standing for regional council in just under three years if it still exists following local government reform.
Nearly 10,000 voted to remove the Waipā’s Māori ward at the next election, compared to more than 7000 who voted to keep it. Turnout was almost 42 per cent.
Morgan said she was “sadly not surprised” at the result.
“Disappointed that Waipā is still not mature enough for being progressive,” she said. “Waipā showed it still has folk who chose to take away the home people’s democratic right of choice – something those same votes are not subjected to or would be terribly upset if the same treatment applied.”
She pondered how a similar decision would go down in other parts of the world.
Morgan said before the Māori ward had been introduced there had been minimal Māori representation around the council table.
“The Māori ward is tangible Te Tiriti of Waitangi honouring in action,” she said. “I’ve also confirmed that having a Māori ward doesn’t take any power from anyone or anywhere.”
Morgan said most mana whenua were not fazed by the outcome of the referendum.
She partially blamed the national political climate characterised by the National, ACT and New Zealand First coalition.
Council candidate Dean Taylor, Māori ward candidate Dale-Maree Morgan with community board candidates Ange Holt and John Kopa. Photo: Jesse Wood
“It is a deliberate oppressive move, in line with the current trajectory this coalition has motivated,” she said.
“The removal of democratic choice will only dishearten Māori voters more. The choice by others to remove the Māori wards adds to why Māori have given up on a system that continues to oppress at local and central levels of government. This action by Waipā voters won’t be forgotten and maybe felt in different ways when it comes to harmonious future relationships.”
Asked what tangible outcomes had emerged from having a Māori ward, Morgan put the formation of the Don’t Burn Waipā pressure group to oppose the building of a waste to energy plant in Te Awamutu at the top of her list.
“To allow a plant to burn half the tyres made in New Zealand and import waste from around the South Pacific would be disastrous for the Waipā profile,” she said.
Although she stepped away from the group, she was a founding member of, due to a conflict of interest, Morgan said she had supplied in depth information to council staff showing the proposed plant did not align with the district’s future proofing plans.
Removing dogs from Mt Kakepuku during the last dog bylaw review, her first motion as a councillor, was second on her list.
“This move had been advocated by DOC, Ngati Kahu and Ngati Unu for over 30 years to allow the mountain to replenish and restore natural flora and fauna. Kiwi will not return while dogs are allowed on the mountain.”
Other outcomes included adding marae to the list of sensitive sites when considering alcohol applications and providing cultural capability to council functions.
Morgan said she hoped to bring down barriers and continue connecting communities. She planned to better inform Waipā’s residents of the history and obligations of where and who they live with.
Morgan and her husband Steve Hutt are both elected members of the Ngāruawāhia Community Board.
Dale-Maree Morgan and husband Steve Hutt at a Government House gathering. Photo: Supplied.
Waipa Maori ward candidates Dale-Maree Morgan, left, and Yvonne Waho, extreme right show their support with others in Cambridge. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
