Secret Co-Governance Claim Rejected As 'Toxic Politics'

Friday, 12 September 2025, 4:28 pm
Article: Craig Ashworth - Local Democracy Reporting

A ratepayer lobby group claims a new town plan for Waitara is a secret prototype for suburban co-governance of New Plymouth. 

The New Plymouth District Ratepayers’ Alliance (NPDRA) says the New Plymouth community is “being intentionally kept in the dark” about a plan to establish co-governance of Waitara. Its statement warns the Waitara Spatial Plan will then be rolled out by New Plymouth District Council across all suburbs.

“The future for all of New Plymouth, if this Pilot is not voted against through consultations, will be that the NPDC will become a ‘Partnership/Co-Governance’ model where the ratepayers will pay IWI and Hapu to be involved in all infrastructure decisions (permits and consents), and all designs of how IWI and Hapu want the suburbs of New Plymouth to be,” reads the statement. 

Kevin Moratti – a founding board member of the anti co-governance pressure group Hobson’s Pledge - helped set up NPDRA with mayoral contender Max Brough and his fellow councillor Murray Chong.

The NPDRA is affiliated to the right-wing lobby group Taxpayer's Union, which bans politicians or candidates from membership. 

Moratti chairs the Alliance but declined an interview, saying its position was clearly set out online. In a deputation to council in June he called the spatial plan“co-governance by stealth." 

"Dog-whistle politics" 

Waitara hapū Otarāua and Manukōrihi drove creation of the draft 30-year spatial plan with council help. Otarāua hapū chair Rāwiri Doorbar said the Ratepayers’ Alliance was using dog-whistle politics to scare up votes.

Doorbar said as a candidate for mayor Brough couldn’t escape accountability for comments made by the NPDRA just because he isn't allowed to be a member. 

“Max Brough must take responsibility for the group he set up and the toxic harm it’s causing.” 

“This community deserves leadership that deals in facts, not fear.”

“After the election we’ll all still be here working out our future together.” 

Manukōrihi hapū chair Geoff White said mana whenua want to “look after what we've got and enhance it for the generations to come.” 

White said the secret takeover claim was baseless. 

“I'd like to talk to these people because I know for a fact that it's not true. What a gutless thing to do, absolutely gutless. 

“We’re all about kanohi ki te kanohi: You want to say something, say it to my face.” 

Brough rates loyalty Brough brokered NPDRA’s alignment with Taxpayers Union boss Jordan Williams, but as councillors he and Chong had to leave it in Moratti’s hands. 

Brough agreed the attack on Waitara’s plan was corrosive – but was misinterpretation rather than misinformation. 

“The people that have made this statement, the Ratepayers Alliance … that's outside my control.”

Brough said he wouldn’t disown the group as he valued loyalty. 

“I do have to take some responsibility, but I reiterate I had nothing to do with this - absolutely zero to do with this.” 

"Inaccurate and destructive" NPDC said contacting stakeholders began last year with workshops in October and December. 

Public consultation on the plan, called Tiritiri o Mātangi, closed on Friday. 

The new council will have a post-election workshop before deciding the plan’s fate early next year.

Kaumātua Peter Moeahu, who’s standing for the district’s Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa ward, said the Ratepayers’ Alliance was pushing misinformation. 

“It’s sad so many voters don’t know the facts and take this as gospel.” 

Te Kōwhatu Tū Moana Trust supported the town planning effort and since November has been asking what Waitara people want at events like Waitangi Day and the night markets. 

The Trust’s pou toka Tiri Porter is standing for Waitara’s community board and said she’s angry a hapū-led effort for the whole community was being attacked for dark ends. 

“If these people were from Waitara, knew Waitara, they would know how inaccurate and destructive their accusations are.”

Outgoing mayor Neil Holdom said more than 40 percent of Waitara residents identify as Māori. 

“New Plymouth District Council is committed to working with the people of Waitara – including iwi and hapū leaders – to improve the quality of life in the town and help it prosper.” 

Last month Mayor Holdom kicked Chong out of the chamber for repeatedly called a new procurement strategy racist off the back of an NPDRA deputation. 

“It would appear the NPDRA opposes council working with Māori to make good things happen.” 

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

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