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Māori Ward Councillor Hopes For Youth Council In Ōpōtiki
Curley Keno’s hopes to create better engagement with youth and hapū as a new Ōpōtiki Māori ward councillor.
“Those are the two tasks that are on my heart – the relationships with hapū and rangitahi. First, however, she is looking forward to building relationships with the current councillors and “seeing what we can do as a collective going forward for our community”.
“The Māori ward candidates are the only newly elected candidates on the council. I think that’s interesting in itself because we're going into a space where there’s already a lot of experience at that table.
“I was voted in by the electors, so will definitely be bringing the voice of the electors to the table.”
She said, from what she had been told, council had a good long-term relationship with iwi.
“That’s just a given for Ōpōtiki. This is my first time sitting around the table to find out what those relationships are first-hand.”
Although she is not rushing to make changes, she does have some hopes for her term.
“Like everything you step into that’s new, I would say the next three-to-six months will be all about induction and onboarding.”
She would like to see the establishment of a youth council within Ōpōtiki District Council.
“I will definitely like to see the voice of the rangitahi or the youth brought to council.”
She said there had been one in the past.
“That’s something that has always been on my heart. Even at the last election when we campaigned around bringing the youth council back.”
She would also like to bring back more engagement, not just with iwi but at a hapū level.
“It’s so diverse. There’s the iwi and their perspective, but it’s not until you go out into the hapū that you hear their different concerns.
“I’m really excited and looking forward to seeing how I can add value to the collective around the council table,” she said.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
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