24 November 2021
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Representation Review decision
Enquiry
I've spoken to Councillor Tania Tapsell, who expanded on what she meant in Friday's meeting when she said motion 2 (2. Affirm that voters on the Māori electoral roll should not be permanently locked into a minority and should have equal opportunity as those on the general roll to vote for a Council they consider will best represent their interests (voter parity)) was "almost a deliberate attempt to manipulate this process to get the outcome that is wanted".
Tania's comments are below and I would like to provide them to you, Steve and Mercia, for the right of reply.
I have also spoken to Reynold as he was mentioned by Tania in relation to his mention in the meeting of wanting to move a motion progressing the 3-7 ward model - I have also included his comments for right of reply.
It is unlikely the council organisation should have to respond to these as they are largely political comments regarding Steve and Mercia, but they are nonetheless provided on the off-chance the council does wish to comment, which it is welcome to do so.
COMMENTS
Rotorua district councillor Tania Tapsell told Local Democracy Reporting on Tuesday she believed the meeting process on Friday “appeared to be predetermined”.
“As elected members we come to the meeting and we expect we will each be able to have a say and contribute to the process, so to be restricted straight off the bat to what decision we could make, I found unacceptable.”
“What my deep concern on the day was, when Councillor [Mercia] Yates foreshadowed a second motion it actually trumped the ability for the process to be open.
“[Yates’]foreshadowed motion essentially says if this doesn’t go through, then we want this to be the next thing to go through, and that didn’t allow the opportunity for any other discussions on what the community may have wanted.
“We were predetermining what the next decision would be without opening it up to elected members.
“When we have a strong message from not only the community, and … our iwi partners that their preferred model was seven [general seats and] three [Māori seats], it was actually disappointing that we were not able to then put that on the table and discuss it.
She said that was the model she wanted and fellow councillor Reynold Macpherson had also attempted to put it on the table.
“I believe that the mayor and Councillor Yates were aware that the seven three model, based on the feedback and desire would come back to the table. That was the significance of that foreshadowed motion then trumping the others.”
Tapsell said she was “struggling” in the meeting, as a committee chairwoman who understood the standing orders to understand how there could be an option that would predetermine the next decision.
“What would normally happen is we would take a vote on it, if it’s lost, someone from the table … would go, ‘I would now like to move a motion that we do this’ … and that allows it to be an open process because as soon as Councillor Yates one was put up that means we then would have had to vote down the first one, vote down the second one and then at that stage we would have gone to open.
“I actually don’t recall any other time in the eight years I’ve [been on the council] that an issue of this significance has not been allowed to be an open process.
“They refer to it as a foreshadowed motion but it’s technically not a thing, but I think they made it a thing.”
She said it was allowed under the standing orders but it was up to the chair of the meeting’s discretion.
“Basically, they kind of made it up, it’s an option, it is allowed and it is doable but it wasn’t necessarily compulsory. They found a solution to reach their desired outcome as opposed to what a fair and usual meeting process would be.”
She believed that was the wrong call on the mayor’s part and Chadwick’s decision was informed by her position.
“The evidence behind that is because Councillor Yates had written and given that to the mayor beforehand, which is why the mayor took Councillor Yates’ first ahead of others’ because Reynold [Macpherson] was trying to, at the same time, also put the seven three motion on the table.
“Because Councillor Yates had written to the mayor and they had obviously had a discussion about it, and so the mayor was happy to put that and didn’t allow the usual open process.
“It’s very unusual that someone would predetermine a decision of this significance. Often there will be minor amendments to motions to better reflect what we’re trying to achieve but, in this case, it was such a significant difference … it was very clear that they were trying to restrict and corner elected members into having to vote a certain way.
“The amendments that were added were an attempt to get councillors to agree to the principles of the model that they were trying to achieve, which was the 1-1-8.
“Throughout the discussions on the day they talked about the need for co-governance, parity and equality which was their argument.
“Councillor Yates having a written motion beforehand is obviously signs that there’s been work going on behind the scenes so it was a real surprise to many of us at the table that it wasn’t going to be as open a process as expected.”
“We all do our homework, speak to our community and turn up to the meeting in good faith that we’ll be able to have an open discussion.”
Asked if she therefore felt it was conducted in bad faith, Tapsell said “I feel that it wasn’t in the best interests of our community based the significant amount of feedback from our community that wanted the seven-three [model]. It wasn’t honouring or acknowledging what our community was asking for.”
“Through what they’ve said the make up of votes was a priority over what the voters actually asked for themselves.”
She said Yates and Chadwick had both highlighted in the meeting their concerns that family members might not be able to vote for them because of the rolls they were on.
“They appeared to prioritise where votes would come from, as opposed to what the voters actually wanted themselves.”
Tapsell said she was “a bit offended” when, in the meeting, Chadwick stated in the meeting elected members had been “scurrying around tor try to sure up each other”.
“What she’s accusing others of is actually what I felt that she had done herself to reach this point.”
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Rotorua district councillor Reynold Macpherson said in his view the council's decision-making at the [November 19] meeting was "predetermined and manipulated".
He said it "came as a surprise" Yates' foreshadowed motion had been accepted by the chair, mayor Steve Chadwick, before the meeting.
"My proposed amendment to the agenda item asked for three seats for the Māori ward and seven seats for the general ward. It was disallowed by the chair, which meant that even if the foreshadowed motion failed in its entirety, it was predetermined by the Chair that [my motion] could not be considered. It was therefore a closed process intended to achieve predetermined outcomes."
He said Potaua Biasiny-Tule and Tapsell were right to protest what he described in his opinion as "the manipulation and predetermination involved".
"Given the weight of opinion supporting three Māori ward seats and seven general ward seats expressed at the hearings, the open letters from Rotorua Residents and Ratepayers and Grey Power, and Te Tatau’s democratically justified demand for three seats for Māori, the public interest was not well served by the 6-5 decision and warrants an appeal to the Local Government Commission."
Response
From Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick:
“The process to reach last week’s decision has been open and transparent, and the same process, advice, and information was available to all councillors, as it always is.
“All councillors were given the opportunity to contribute to the significant and robust discussion that took place prior to a decision being made, and ultimately the majority of councillors voted in favour of the motion put on the table. Such is the nature of our democratic system.”
Councillor Mercia Yates provided the following response to a related enquiry from Local Democracy Reporter:
“Any Councillor can ask for advice, which is what I sought from a Senior Governance Council staff member on the Thursday prior to the Council meeting. I was provided with advice and followed the process accordingly. This was an independent motion that was tabled.”
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Kainga Ora housing development in Collie Drive
Enquiry
I've just been given a heads up from Megan Woods' office that Kainga Ora has secured land on Collie Dr, Pukehangi for 60 new social housing homes, with the first stage getting under way soon.
They expect to have 37 homes ready by the end of 2022. The homes will be made off site and transported to the subdivision (I'm sure you know all this already).
Can I please get some comment from mayor Steve Chadwick about this development and how it will help with our housing crisis?
Can I also get some comment from a council staff member about the consents for that subdivision? The last mention we have had on this subdivision was in 2021 in a story which said it was granted consent for nine lots on top of 33 which had already been approved. Can you please advise what the hold up has been in granting consent? I see it goes back quite a few years.
Response
From Mayor Steve Chadwick:
I’m pleased to see the momentum continuing. This is a sizable development, in a good location and every bit helps with the housing challenges Rotorua is facing. We are at the very beginning of a long journey and we welcome the investment into our city.
We know that Rotorua has a significant lack of public housing and we need to see move homes of all types. Enabling the delivery of more homes for our community is a key priority for this Council and we are working closely with the Government, Te Arawa and other local housing providers to make that happen.
Kāinga Ora has set a target to increase public housing supply in Rotorua and I’m looking forward to seeing those numbers realised, which means seeing whānau find permanent homes.