Labour List MP The Local Electoral (Maori Wards and Maori Constituencies) Amendment Bill passed recently, giving councils the ability to create Maori Wards which will give Maori a more equitable say in how our local communities are run. This change was championed by local government organisations all across the country, with staunch support from Maori. A big thank you to all of the submitters from the Western Bay who believe in meaningful Maori representation at all levels. It was great to see that the Emergency Management messaging of “if it’s long and strong get gone” really was taken to heart, after the recent tsunami warning affected those in coastal areas. What a relief that the impact wasn’t too serious.