Taranaki poet and activist Sonya Taylor's outburst at New Plymouth District Council's Te Huinga Taumatua iwi committee meeting temporarily stopped debate about Māori wards. Andy Jackson/Stuff Members of Te Huinga Taumatua committee discuss and vote on the Maori ward debate in the NPDC chambers. Up for recommendation on Tuesday was consultation on four options for establising a Māori ward. Only Māori ward decisions can be legally overturned by citizen-initiated referendums, a peculiarity that has been described in the past as structural racism. The other options include holding binding polls and establishing a Māori ward for the next two elections.

Source: Stuff June 30, 2020 07:52 UTC