Māori ward councillors in Tairāwhiti have spoken candidly about their first year in governance, highlighting cyclone recovery as a key challenge. On October 8 of 2022, five councillors were elected by Maori roll voters for Gisborne District Council's newly formed Māori ward. Local Democracy Reporting reached out to the contingent, who opened up about the highs and lows of the current term. Rawinia Parata, of Ruatoria, said the past year had forced the entire region to confront climate change, which was now affecting people's everyday lives.

https://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/news/first-year-as-maori-ward-councillors-challenging-educational-enjoyable

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