Decent turnout of voters looks likely (Daily Post)

Large crowds are expected to turn out to vote for this year’s Te Arawa Standing Committee elections.

Voting will be at Te Papaiouru Marae on Saturday, where the 10 nominees will each give a five-minute speech to the eligible voters.

Rotorua District Council policy analyst and Maori research officer Bella Tait said the calibre of nominees was high:

I’m actually expecting a good turn-out for voting. We have a lot of very good and young nominees.”

Voters must be registered with Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa or Te Kotahitanga o Te Arawa.

Last year the committee decided to change the way it would be elected. Instead of three elected iwi members, three appointed representatives (one each from Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Federation of Maori Authorities and Te Pukenga Kaumatua o Te Arawa) and two council-appointed members, the committee will be elected “at large” with no appointments except the two council-appointed members and the mayor, who chairs the committee.

Final results should be out by the end of next week.

The following people are standing for election:

• Pakitai Raharuhi
• Toby Curtis – Ngati Rongomai
• Roku Adrian Mihinui
• John Tamati Waaka
• Kingi Biddle
• Arapeta Petera Tahana
• Waereti Tait-Rolleston
• Potaua Biasiny-Tule
• Rene Kahu Mitchell
• Eraia James Rangiriri Kiel

The existing council members�on the Te Arawa Standing�Committee are:

• Chairperson Mayor Kevin Winters
• Deputy Chairperson Deputy Mayor Trevor Maxwell
• Councillor Bob Martin

Click here to check out profiles of those seeking election

Kia ora to Greg Taipiri for some of this content