Ko te whakakanohitanga o Ngāi Māori ki Tāmaki Makaurau Māori representation in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland

Sharing decision-making with Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland 

Māori take part in decision-making in several ways:

• Houkura (formerly the Independent Māori Statutory Board) can appoint members to some Governing Body committees.
• Auckland Council works with co-governance groups like the Tūpuna Maunga Authority.
• The Tāmaki Makaurau Mana Whenua Forum represents the region's 19 iwi and hapū.

Houkura's role 

Houkura is independent from Auckland Council. Its role is to:

• make sure Auckland Council follows all laws related to the Treaty of Waitangi. 
• highlight important issues for Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau. 

The Māori Plan for Tāmaki Makaurau 

Watch a video about the Māori Plan for Tāmaki Makaurau to learn more about Houkura and its mahi (work). 

Read a full transcript of this video.

Shared decision-making 

Auckland Council has several Governing Body committees made up of the mayor and councillors. 

These committees make sure each important decision-making area gets the right level of attention.

Read a list of committees and what they do. 

Houkura appoints up to two members to certain committees, where they join Governing Body members in decision-making and have voting rights.

The only group they do not appoint members to is the Governing Body itself. Governing Body members, including the mayor, are elected every three years in local elections.

Tāmaki Makaurau Mana Whenua Forum 

Looking after the land 

Mana whenua are groups with ancestral ties and rights to the land. They play a vital role, having cared for the land for hundreds of years.

The Tāmaki Makaurau Mana Whenua Forum brings together 19 hapū-iwi representatives to discuss important regional matters. Council engages with the forum to gather mana whenua views on issues and opportunities.

Different roles to play 

Understanding the different roles of these two organisations is important, as both support Māori representation in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Houkura 

• Statutory entity (organisation created by law)
• Has some voting power
• Members are appointed
• Advocates for mana whenua and mataawaka
• Makes sure we are upholding treaty obligations.

Tāmaki Makaurau Mana Whenua Forum 

• Non-statutory entity
• Has no voting power
• Membership is appointed by iwi
• Promotes iwi interests in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Tūpuna Maunga Authority 

The Tūpuna Maunga agreement is an example of co-governance between local government (Auckland Council) and its treaty partners, Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau (also known as the Tāmaki Collective).

Find out more on the Tūpuna Maunga website.

Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Act 2014 

This law:

• gave ownership of 14 maunga (mountains) to the iwi/hapū of Tāmaki Makaurau
• created the Tūpuna Maunga Authority to manage decisions about the maunga
• made Auckland Council responsible for caring for the maunga, following the Tūpuna Maunga Authority’s guidance.

This settlement is very important because maunga are sacred to Māori. The Tūpuna Maunga Authority prioritises the health and wellbeing of the maunga in every decision.

About Māori wards 

Parliament has seven seats reserved for Māori Members of Parliament (MPs). These MPs are elected by voters on the Māori electoral roll during general elections.

If you are of Māori descent, you can choose to be on either the general electoral roll or the Māori electoral roll.

Aotearoa / New Zealand has seven Māori electorates (voting areas). Each electorate elects one MP to Parliament.

See how the 120 MP seats are divided.

Since 2002, local councils in Aotearoa / New Zealand have been able to create Māori wards, similar to Māori seats in Parliament.

In 2024, the government passed a law allowing councils to introduce Māori wards if a binding public vote supports the move.

How Māori wards would work 

Māori wards would work similarly to Māori seats in Parliament. A set number of seats would be reserved for Māori electorates. Only those on the Māori electoral roll could vote for them. 

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