RE: Local government Māori wards – right of electors to demand a binding poll
Your website states, “Our Democracy or Co-Government paper sets out how ACT would restore universal human rights in New Zealand’s laws, public affairs, and constitutional settings. We would do this with the following policy changes…2. Repealing recent laws, such as the Three Waters legislation, local government representation legislation, and elements of the Pae Ora legislation, that give different rights based on identity.” https://www.act.org.nz/democracy
Should your party be in a position to do so after the October election, would it reinstate sections 19ZA to 19ZG of the Local Electoral Act 2001?
By way of background, those sections were repealed by section 7 of the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021.
We look forward to your reply.
We received the following reply:
Hi
ACT opposed the legislation you refer to and broadly disagrees with Māori wards.
While ACT is not campaigning specifically on reversing the repeal of these sections, it has committed to reversing Labour's divisive race-based policies. Exactly how to deal with this in the context of Māori wards remains to be determined.
“New Zealand’s electoral system should focus on our common interests and treat voters equally, but Labour’s plan for Māori wards would take us down a divisive path,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.
“Equality before the law and local democracy are critically important.
“ACT believes that all individuals should be equal before the law regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religion or political belief.
“We joke about this Government being undemocratic, but I never thought I’d see Labour taking away the right to vote just because they don’t like people’s choices.
“If Labour is serious about consistency between wards, the democratic approach would be to expand voters’ rights to allow them to recall any scheme councillors introduce given councillors are setting up a scheme for their own election.
“ACT believes in the inherent dignity of each and every individual. Making laws that give people different rights based on who their great grandparents were is fundamentally divisive.
“We do not believe Māori wards are necessary to achieve representation.
“ACT will vigorously oppose Labour’s plan to remove the current right voters have to trigger a local referendum and will put forward amendments so voters can recall any scheme put forward by councillors.
“Power over democratic institutions should rest with the people who pay the rates, not the people who spend it.”
See here >>>
In conclusion
So from the email an statement on the website, it appears that Act is against the removal of the right of veto but is not campaigning on its reinstatement.
However, in a comment to 1News David Seymour said Act has pledged to repeal Māori wards!
See 1News story here >>>
