Ōpōtiki Māori Ward Councillor Plans To Make People The Core Business Of Council

Thursday, 16 October 2025, 5:34 pm
Article: Diane McCarthy - Local Democracy Reporter

As a former social worker, school board chairwoman, and relationship manager in the disability sector, Maude Maxwell has been advocating for and representing the community for many years.

She says she is excited to now be representing the Ōpōtiki community, at a different level, as a district councillor.

“We need to make decisions that are focused on core business, which is our people.”

As one of the new Ōpōtiki Māori ward’s first councillors elect, she can’t wait to get into the mahi of council work.

"When you get into any kind of board or governance you really need to have a look at what they’ve done in the last three years.

“We’ve heard about it from the community’s perspective, but we’ve not really looked at the finer details of how they made those decisions and what still needs to be decided.”

She said coming from a te ao Māori perspective, building relationships with other councillors was key.

“I think whakawhanaungatanga is important, so, getting to know one another. Those that have been elected.

[The previous councillors] have worked together for three years and now they’ve got a new team. 

It’s important for the more experienced councillors to get to know who we are.

“We’re going to bring a different kind of vibe to this forum.

Certainly not to go in there with a ‘I know everything’ attitude.

More around, what has been done? How have you made these decisions?

Where have you put our people as a core value in making these decisions. I want to serve the people who have voted for me and those who didn’t vote for me.

I know we need to strengthen the relationships between council and our people, council and our iwi and our hapū.

Those are some of the priorities I will be looking at. Mrs Maxwell has served on the board of Ashbrook School since 2019, where she was made chairwoman after 18 months.

“I went to Ashbrook school as a student and my mum went there, so I’m invested I guess.”

She said she also had grandchildren at the school. Mrs Maxwell said as well as being a good leader, being a good councillor was about being a good team member.

“Working together even though we might all have different values.”

She is a relationship manager for Manawanui, a disability sector organisation where she worked for former prime minister Bill English.

“I’ve got a lot of relationship networks, and I have been a social worker for over 20 years.

I was a manager for a Māori organisation in Ōpōtiki as well. I’ve served our people on the ground in terms of advocacy.

“All those skills and all I’ve been taught from other leaders will contribute to how I would support the council and our people.”

-LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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