One vote from victory
Ben Matthews (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Tauranga Moana, Ngāti Porou) is anxiously awaiting the counting of special votes to determine whether he will secure one of four seats on the Masterton Trust Lands Trust.
Preliminary results show Matthews has narrowly missed out, receiving 2,524 votes, just one behind fourth-place candidate David McHattie on 2,525.
“Nō reira, ko te wawata o te ngākau mā roto i ngā pōtitanga motuhake ka puta ai taku ihu ka eke ai au ki te taumata nei.”
The Masterton Trust Lands Trust, established in 1872, supports educational, arts and cultural initiatives across the Masterton community. Profits from its commercial properties are returned to the region through grants.
Matthews says Māori have long been missing from decision-making roles on the Trust, and he hopes to change that.
“Ko etahi o ngā kaupapa nei, he kaupapa Māori. I roto i ngā tau, kua noho tahanga te poari nei ki ngā mātanga ki ngā kanohi ki ngā reo o tātou te iwi Māori. Arā, kua riro ki te pākeha ā tātou kaupapa Māori e whiriwhiri, e wherawhera. Nō reira, kei te tino hē rawa atu tērā āhuatanga ki ahau nei. Koirā te tino pūtake i tū ai taku ringa.”
Kaipara Leadership
There are only 5 votes that separate Mayor hopeful Snow Tane and Jonathan Larsen, who served as Deputy Mayor under “Trump of the North” Craig Jepson
According to preliminary results released early Sunday afternoon, Jonathan Larsen has 3070 votes to Snow Tane’s 3065.
Snow has an extensive history in the business sector, and in the lead-up to the election, he vowed to lead a council that’s transparent, accountable, and focused on the future.
Official election results will be available from Thursday, 16th October.
