Council looking into controversial post on hīkoi

Whangārei District Council says it's looking into reports about councillors' comments on social media relating to the hīkoi - but won't say if any formal Code of Conduct complaint has been lodged.

The controversy relates to an exchange between councillors Marie Olsen and Phoenix Ruka on the Facebook page Aotearoa New Zealand History.

The post shared a video of the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti crossing Auckland Harbour Bridge with the words, "Want to know how big this Hikoi is, so far? It's big as… and then some."

The clip attracted hundreds of comments, including one by Whangārei District councillor Marie Olsen saying, "35,000 wow how many unemployed?"

That drew a swift response from fellow councillor Phoenix Ruka, who wrote: "I was in the hikoi and we have the same job Marie, don't expect any favours or niceties from me in Council any more".

The original post, which attracted more than 200,000 views, appears to have been deleted - but screenshots of the councillors' exchange have been shared far and wide.

A council spokesperson said elected members were free to express personal views to the media or social media at any time, subject to the expectations of the Elected Member Code of Conduct.

"Council has received reports of recent posts by elected members and will be looking into this. In fairness to the parties involved, Whangārei District Council will not be making any further comment at this time."

The spokesperson would not say if any formal Code of Conduct complaints had been lodged.

The council's Elected Member Code of Conduct, among other things, sets out rules about how members should behave towards each other, and requires their interactions with the public to be "fair, honest and respectful".

The Code also contains an entire section on personal use of social media, which states the right to free speech is respected, but that councillors are responsible for anything they post that could damage the council's image.

"You are encouraged to participate in social media, but in so doing you must exercise sound judgement and common sense," the Code states.

Both Ruka and Olsen are first-term councillors.

Ruka is one of two councillors in the Whangārei District Māori Ward, while Olsen is one of five councillors in the Whangārei Urban General Ward.

In August, Olsen seconded a motion to abolish the Māori ward, saying she had been elected on a platform of no co-governance, no Three Waters, and no Māori seats, and her stance had not changed.

She believed, however, that the motion would be defeated: "Let it go to a referendum, let the public speak, and let's put this to rest once and for all."

Ruka told the meeting his opposition to scrapping the ward was not about protecting his job, or that of fellow Māori ward councillor Deb Harding.

"This is a generational decision, it's not about me and Deb. It's for our mokopuna."

He also hit back at speakers who talked about wanting New Zealanders to be one people.

"If you really want us to be one, you would take time to learn our reo, as we have learnt yours," he said.

The motion to scrap the Māori Ward was defeated, which means its fate will now be decided at a referendum held alongside the 2025 local elections.

Ruka has said he would not lodge a Code of Conduct complaint about Olsen's Facebook comment.