\nPhoto \/ Susan Botting<\/p>\n
The term mana w\u0101hine speaks to the women\u2019s power, spiritual essence and mana.<\/p>\n
The eight Far North local politicians are among only 15 women elected to Northland\u2019s four councils this month.<\/p>\n
Retiring KDC politician Eryn Wilson-Collins says FNDC’s majority female council is magnificent and important on a national scale
\nPhoto \/ Susan Botting<\/p>\n
Outgoing Kaipara <\/a>councillor Eryn Wilson-Collins said the Far North achievement was highly significant on a local, regional and national scale.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s magnificent,\u201d Wilson-Collins said.<\/p>\n \u201cLike actor Will Ferrell said \u2018Isn\u2019t it time for women to run the planet. Men have run the show since 10,000 BC and haven\u2019t made such a good job of that\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe the Far North is having a go at doing something about that.\u201d<\/p>\n Half of the FNDC\u2019s<\/a> top table\u2019s women are returning \u2013 immediate past deputy mayor Kelly Stratford, former deputy mayor Ann Court, Felicity Foy and M\u0101ori ward councillor Hilda Halkyard-Harawira.<\/p>\n The others are newcomers \u2013 Arohanui Allen, Rachel Baucke, Rudkin and Davina Smolders.<\/p>\n Tepania is one of just three men around the new council table, also including returnees T\u0101mati R\u0101kena and John Vujcich.<\/p>\n He said adding FNDC\u2019s 19 community board members \u2013 which included eight women \u2013 into FNDC\u2019s total 30 elected representatives mix took the council\u2019s overall ratio of women to men to 53%.<\/p>\n Court \u2013 Northland\u2019s<\/a> longest-serving female council politician, now starting her 10th term \u2013 said her council\u2019s situation showed how far New Zealand had come since women were given the vote in 1893.<\/p>\n She said councils swung between being adversarial and collaborative.<\/p>\n The new council illustrated how the public eventually self-corrected between those styles through voting choices, and she expected it to be more collaborative, she said.<\/p>\n FNDC\u2019s new council make-up dramatically reverses a downward trend.<\/p>\n Women made up 40% of its top table in 2019\u20132022, dropping to 36% last term.<\/p>\n Stratford, the outgoing deputy mayor and re-elected third-term councillor, said: \u201cIt\u2019s so important to have women in leadership, in governance roles\u201d.<\/p>\n She had noticed the difference around the table as the number of women declined.<\/p>\n Stratford said women were less likely to lose their cool.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s less banging of fists on the table,\u201d Stratford said.<\/p>\n FNDC Ng\u0101 Tai o Tokerau M\u0101ori Ward second-term councillor Halkyard-Harawira said electing women to the ward showed what voters wanted.<\/p>\n People voted for those they liked after meeting face to face during the campaign.<\/p>\n Three of the ward\u2019s four councillors are now women \u2013 compared with Halkyard-Harawira being the only w\u0101hine in its first term.<\/p>\n All the ward councillors have teaching experience.<\/p>\n Halkyard-Harawira said she would miss the skills of the ward\u2019s two men no longer representing it.<\/p>\n But she looked forward to the new connections and expertise incoming first-time w\u0101hine councillors Rudkin, who is now deputy mayor, and Arohanui Allen would bring.<\/p>\nKerikeri’s Ann Court is Northland’s longest-serving current female local government politician.
\nPhoto \/ Susan Botting <\/p>\n Far North Maori ward councillor Awanui’s Hilda Halkyard-Harawira and husband Hone.
\nPhoto \/ Susan Botting<\/p>\n