More Te Reo Māori street names could appear in Invercargill on the back of the council updating its policy. Photo: LDR / Matthew Rosenberg
Te reo Māori street names are on track for a boost in Invercargill as the council takes steps to ensure they are more readily available.
In March, an Invercargill City Council meeting revealed confusion around its policy for street names, after a developer failed to bring a single te reo option for consideration.
It was revealed that their inclusion was "highly recommended" but not compulsory.
On Tuesday, the council looked to fix that issue by suggesting an amendment to its policy meaning one of three names brought to the table would need to be in te reo Māori.
The council's mana whenua representatives would also be involved in the process, ensuring the Whakapapa of an area was considered in naming.
Council manager strategy, policy and engagement Rhiannon Suter said the process enabled the council to support developers by connecting them with mana whenua representatives for feedback.
In the rare circumstance a Māori name could not be provided within 20 working days, three English names could be presented, she said.
"We've agreed that this pragmatic approach should result hopefully in the outcome that everybody is wanting to see.
"Certainly, that has been the steering provided to us from previous committees, that we would like to see more te reo Māori names ultimately utilised through the district."
The change in policy relates to new name applications and is being made under a scheduled review.
It is yet to be approved at full council, with Tuesday's decision being a recommendation at committee level.
A report prepared for the committee noted it was not appropriate to create a list of pre-selected names because Whakapapa meant the location needed to be considered.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
