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A Kaipara councillor mulled over resigning over the vote to disestablish Māori wards but decided instead to serve out his term to highlight “anti-democratic abuses”.
Mark Vincent told a Kaipara District Council (KDC) meeting last week that he had intended to resign and immediately seek a new mandate, but after discussion with family and friends realised that doing so “would likely confuse the ordinary person in the street”.
He had been encouraged by the support received from several quarters after the extraordinary meeting at which council voted against keeping its Māori ward.
“I am resolved to continue for the rest of this term to highlight any other anti-democratic abuses of process that come to light, and do my best to act in the best interests of the Kaipara District Council overall,” he said.
Vincent took aim at Mayor Craig Jepson, under whose leadership he said council was divided.
He concluded his statement by quoting Jepson as having said four years ago that polling was about ratepayers having their say – rather than councillors making decisions on Māori wards without consultation.
“It’s a democratic thing,” Jepson said at the time. “We need to have a say as ratepayers, particularly in Kaipara where we’re often bulldozed without that chance to have a say.”
“Now that is a statement made by Craig Jepson in 2020 I can agree with,” Vincent said.
Invited to respond to the remarks, Jepson told Mahurangi Matters that all councils are divided on some issues, and that “no-one could name a council where all decisions are made with a unanimous vote”.
“Local government politics is little different to central government politics. Decisions are made via a majority. Councillor Vincent enjoys every opportunity to voice his opinion publicly and at KDC meetings and is not reticent to do so or test the water by amendment to motions,” Jepson said.
“Being unhappy that one is in the minority for a voting decision is not abuse or a failing of democracy.”
In the August 7 vote, Vincent was joined by Ihapera Paniora, Ash Nayyar and Eryn Wilson-Collins voting against the motion. Rachael Williams abstained.
Ngāti Whātua has applied for a judicial review of the vote, arguing that representatives of local Māori had been given insufficient warning of the extraordinary meeting. An urgent hearing has been set down in the Auckland High Court on September 11.
KDC was the first local authority in the country to vote down Māori wards. Votes by the Northland and Hawke’s Bay Regional Councils last week went the other way.
Councils have until September 6 to either retain or disestablish Māori wards. They must hold binding polls at the 2025 local government elections, and the outcome of those votes will apply to the 2028 and 2031 elections.
