Challenging Maori wards on local councils 'racist' - councillor

Legislation allowing council decisions to establish Maori electoral wards to be challenged has been slammed as racist by a local body politician. The Manawatu and Whakatane district councils voted in favour of Maori wards last year, but a petition by lobby group Hobson's Pledge has since gained enough signatures to force referendums that could overturn those decisions. No other ward on a council can be forced into a referendum, and councillors in support of Maori wards say that is unfair. Te Manu Korihi's Te Aniwa Hurihanganui reports.