Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Ructions at New Zealand's northernmost council are set to continue today with a vote this morning expected to usher in the organisation's third chairperson in just six months
Tui Shortland was elected chair of the Northland Regional Council in October 2022, making her the first wahine Māori chair of a regional council anywhere in New Zealand.
She resigned suddenly in November 2023, saying her position had become untenable. No other reasons were given.
In a meeting on 28 November last year, the council's deputy Jack Craw was also removed from his position.
Geoff Crawford was voted in as the new chair with Shortland as deputy.
The changes were led by a five-strong, loosely right-leaning, pro-farming bloc of councillors, who held a majority around the nine-seat council table.
During the same meeting, the remaining four councillors were relieved of virtually all their positions as committee chairs.
Members voting for the shake-up at that time were Crawford, Shortland, John Blackwell, Joe Carr and Peter-Lucas Jones, all but one of whom are first-term councillors.
Voting against were Craw, Amy Macdonald, Marty Robinson and Rick Stolwerk, all of whom have previously served at least one term.
However, since then the power balance appears to have shifted, with a motion to oust Crawford from his role as chair due to be debated at the council chambers in Whangārei on Tuesday.
The notice of motion, which is signed by Stolwerk, Macdonald, Craw, Robinson and Shortland, does not specify who the new chair could be.
It was not clear what lies behind the council's divisions, but a proposed strengthening of fresh water regulations - which would have required Northland farmers to exclude stock from streams and erosion-prone hill country - has been a key flashpoint.
Ructions within the council have alarmed Northland's political and business leaders, who fear it undermines their efforts to present a united face to central government as they campaign for better roads and other infrastructure.
