Maori Seats

In October 2001 a local bill was passed authorising the establishment of three Maori seats on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (Environment Bay of Plenty). This Bill caused some lively debate in the community and nationally, as Environment Bay of Plenty became the first regional council to have Maori seats. The move heralded the sharing of democratic governance at regional level – and the beginning of a new era for Environment Bay of Plenty.

The three constituency areas are Mauao, Okurei and Kohi - the names of three significant coastal landmarks of the Bay of Plenty region.

Map of Maori Constituencies (695KB, pdf)

In 1996 Maori requested direct representation on the Regional Council. The Maori Regional Representation Committee prepared a submission for the council, which proposed the introduction of Maori seats. This could only succeed if a local bill was passed. The Bay of Plenty community was consulted and the proposal received strong support and some lesser opposition.

Retired Chief Family Court Judge Peter Trapski listened to more than 300 submissions and concluded that as there was good reason for the Maori seats in the Parliament of New Zealand, then there was an equally good reason to have Maori seats on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. He also recommended that Environment Bay of Plenty’s proposal was in accordance with the New Zealand constitutional principles of law.

The Bill was drafted in early 1999 and passed in October 2001. It provided for the establishment of three Maori seats on the regional council, one elected from each of the three Bay of Plenty wards – Mauao (the west of the Bay of Plenty), Kohi (the east of the Bay of Plenty) and Okurei (the central/south of the Bay of Plenty). This bill allows people on the Maori roll to vote for their own Maori representative.