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Poor Knights sovereignty

In the early hours of 30 October 2025, members of   Ngatiwai landed on the Poor Knights Islands, erected a flagpole, and cemented in a carved wooden post. Ngatiwai chairman Aperahama Kepeti-Edwards said it was “a deliberate assertion of our rangatiratanga and enduring ancestral connection” and “a direct challenge to Crown sovereignty.”

The Poor Knights are managed by the Department of Conservation under the Marine Reserves Act 1971 and Reserves Act 1977, which strictly prohibit landing without a permit. The islands are the sole breeding ground for Buller’s shearwater — a migratory seabird long harvested by Ngatiwai before protection laws were enacted.

Northpower election

 

The tri-annual Northpower Trust Board election is typically a yawn, but this election has raised an important issue about how the Trust’s income is to be distributed.

For many years, the trust has paid a dividend to consumers in the form of a credit on their power bill. We understand some candidates want to change that and instead distribute the funds to what they consider to be worthy community causes.

The candidate statements in the Election Handbook don’t shed any light on this issue, but there are some very familiar faces on the ballot paper with a track record of reckless spending. Voters should look beyond the air-brushed smiling faces and think about the damage that can be done by those wanting to get their sticky fingers on other people's money to advance their pet social causes.

Voting can be done by post or online and closes at 12 noon, Saturday, 29 November. 

Northland expressway

According to an investment case prepared by the NZ Transport Agency, the new Northland Expressway will cut more than 30 minutes off the drive time between Te Hana and Whangārei and reduce deaths and serious injuries on State Highway 1 by 66%. The cost of the project is estimated to be between $15.3 billion and $18.3 billion.

The connection linking Whangarei to the existing northern motorway is being treated as three projects. Construction of the Warkworth to Te Hana section is expected to commence in late 2026 and continue through to early 2030.

Maori wards referendum results

Both sides of the Maori wards debate are claiming victory following the referendum results. Twenty-four of the forty-two councils that held referenda voted to remove their Maori wards, including the Whangarei District Council and the Northland Regional Council. Eighteen, including the Far North District Council, voted to retain.

The effect is that the WDC and NRC will disestablish their Maori wards at the end of the current three-year term.

John Bain from Democracy Northland said he was pleased that the public had finally had their say on the Maori wards issue.

“The results vindicate the stance we took five years ago when we presented our petitions to the councils. It is a travesty that councillors ignored a petition with more than 15,000 signatures and introduced Maori wards without any regard for public opinion. They should hang their heads in shame and reflect on what it means to be a representative.”

Fomer councillor Paniora guilty of assault

Former Kaipara Maori ward councillor and barrister, Pera Paniora, has pleaded guilty to two charges of assault. She will be sentenced on the 28^th of November.

The assaults took place in a Whangarei shop on the 15^th of September, but suppression orders prevented her from being named during the election campaign.  An application for permanent name suppression has been denied.

Her lawyer is seeking a discharge without conviction. If this is not granted, she could be sentenced to up to six months in jail and/or a maximum fine of $4,000.

Paniora failed to retain a seat on the Council, polling fifth in the Wairoa ward (3 elected). 

She previously worked for WRMK Lawyers in Whangarei, but more recently says she has been developing Te Runanga o Ngati Whatua's Te Taiao department.

Photo credit: Stuff

WDC Mayor accepts referendum result, but...

 

In a statement made to the Bream Bay News (23 October 2025), Mayor Ken Couper said, “He would be respecting the result of the referendum where the majority of voters in the Whangarei District said they wanted the Council to discontinue its Maori ward, but he would be looking for other ways to strengthen the relationship with these groups.”

Having voted both for the Maori ward and against giving the public a say, we appreciate Ken Couper would be disappointed that voters have rejected his position. However, it is completely unacceptable that he now intends to disregard the clear public will and pursue 'other ways' to ensure Maori influence at the council table. We would not be surprised if he intends to appoint unelected iwi representatives with full voting rights to council committees.

Mayor Larsen's vision for Kaipara

In an address that bore the hallmarks of a Parliamentary Speech from the Throne, the newly elected Mayor Larsen outlined the groundwork laid over the previous three years and presented a vision for the future. 

He promised a line-by-line review of council expenses, more enabling planning rules, and greater focus on building more resilient infrastructure. Larsen clearly knows the key issues and understands the concerns of the communities within the district. Kaipara is now well-positioned to be an outstanding performer over the next decade. 

A link to the speech is here >>>

And the results are in...

Whangarei District Council

Whangarei has a new mayor and six new faces around the council table. In a close race for the mayoralty, two-term councillor Ken Couper beat the incumbent Vince Cocurullo by 435 votes.

In the Urban Ward, Marie Olsen topped the voting and is joined by newcomer Brad Flower, re-elected councillors Nic Connop and Paul Yovich, and Crichton Christie, who is returning as a councillor after a six-year absence. Carol Peters lost her seat, as did Jayne Golightly. 

Opinion piece - Ken is feeling a little left out.

Opinion piece by Frank Newman 

Oh dear, Ken is feeling a little left out.

In a half-page advertisement in today’s Northern Advocate, Ken says he’s upset that I, as editor of LETTERBOX, did not send him an email asking whether he supports or opposes Maori wards and Co-governance.

The reason is not hard to find. It was explained in the latest issue of LETTERBOX, but Ken is a regular reader and he should have known that. Issue 33 states: