Under-Fire Councillor Won’t Quit Election Despite Lashing For Treaty Collusion

Thursday, 7 August 2025, 6:10 pm
Article: Craig Ashworth - Local Democracy Reporting

Multiple calls to stand down haven’t budged the Taranaki politician who plotted to stop the region’s council having a say on the contentious Treaty Principles Bill. 

An internal probe found Taranaki Regional Council suffered severe damage when councillor Neil Walker organised conservative colleagues to block a submission on the Treaty bill. 

The conduct review found that before last December’s meeting Walker wrangled other councillors to agree to not debate the submission, and to vote it down – breaching rules on predetermination and bias. 

The fallout damaged Taranaki Regional Council’s reputation, eroded iwi trust, and strained relationships at the council, the report said. Walker remained silent when the report landed at Tuesday’s TRC meeting, where three speakers advised him to quit. 

His chief collaborator councillor Donald McIntyre offered a garbled apology for other people’s hurt feelings. 

“Obviously I’ve upset some people with my actions, for which I am sorry that they have feel (sic) aggrieved,” McIntyre said. 

After the meeting LDR asked Walker if he would apologise. “What for?” he replied. “There was no plot on my part.” 

McIntyre told the meeting quashing the Treaty debate was appropriate and democratic. 

“Morally, it may have been better to have discussed the items … but I still can stand by the decision we made.” 

Councillor Susan Hughes KC said McIntyre’s defence of their behaviour was “extraordinary”. 

“There was no justification for it. There is no justification for it. You have done great damage.”

Councillor Bonita Bigham shook her head as McIntyre defended actions she called devastating and embarrassing. 

“This council under-estimates the impact of the trampling of our mana on that day, as individuals, as whānau, as hapū, as iwi and as people across the motu.” 

The Māori ward councillor called on the colluders to reflect on their participation, motivations, and lack of education and understanding on Treaty obligations. 

“If you don't think this is something you can do properly, please consider your fitness to sit at this table in the future,” said Bigham. 

“Because iwi will not put up with this again. I will not put up with this again.” 

Walker and McIntyre have collectively spent 45 years shaping TRC submissions to Parliament. 

But at December’s meeting Walker suddenly declared the council “not a political body” and that the Treaty bill was “too divisive” and “not appropriate” for discussion. 

New Plymouth District Councillor Dinnie Moeahu had arrived that day to praise TRC’s submission – a model he hoped other councils would follow Moeahu got to speak before the December debate was suppressed but the conduct review found Moeahu’s treatment “fell short of the expected standard of engagement and caused offence". 

Moeahu was back on Tuesday to tell councillors that if they couldn’t grow they should go.

“When elected members treat Treaty matters as ‘too political’ or ‘not appropriate’ you betray your role."

“The treaty is inherently political and if you are uncomfortable dealing with it then you are unfit to sit in your seats.” 

Walker and McIntyre both first sat at TRC’s table in 1998. McIntyre has decided to retire. 

Moeahu had four generations of whānau support in the chamber, including a deputation from his father Peter Moeahu. 

Moeahu senior is an iwi representative on TRCs Policy and Planning committee, sits on South Taranaki District’s iwi liaison committee and is standing for New Plymouth District’s Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa ward. 

He said he’d never again trust Walker and the colluding councillors, nor forgive them “for the way you treated my son, our taonga”. 

“I have seen your types many times before. They are the inheritors of our stolen lands. They are the treaty-breakers.”

“You have been in charge of our region’s environment for the past 30 odd years and under your watch, it has gotten worse.” 

Taranaki deserved better, he said. “My recommendation? Withdraw from the ballot.” 

There were more calls for Walker to stand down as the public gallery emptied. 

Walker is a candidate for South Taranaki ward, aiming to extend his time at TRC to an unbroken 30 years. 

After the meeting he was asked if he would heed Peter Moeahu’s advice. “He’s not in my ward,” said Walker. 

-LDR is local body journalism funded by RNZ and NZ on Air

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