The official swearing-in of the Mayor and all 13 district councillors was held at Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae last week. The inaugural meeting on Thursday 27 October was a historic occasion as it marked the first time councillors were elected under the new Māori Ward in our region.

Mayor Stoltz said it was a privilege to serve Tairāwhiti for a second term as Mayor and an exciting time for Council.

“Our new Māori Ward and General Ward councillors are a strong team, and together we will work hard for everyone in our region.”

Mayor Stoltz said it was important to look at the past and learn from our experiences.

“We now look to our future and our community’s aspirations that will set us up on a path to success.

“All of us here have a passion and love to serve our community. We are blessed to have a future-focused council. There is a lot of mahi ahead of us.”

Most of the councillors read their declaration in Māori and English in a nod to the new representation around the Council table.

The inaugural council meeting was held in the wharenui at Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae, which was set up in the style of Council chambers, where meetings are normally held. The full meeting and pōwhiri were also live-streamed and can be viewed on Council’s YouTube page.

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