Photo: RNZ / Peter de Graaf

Whangārei councillors have voted down a motion to abolish their Māori ward and return to the electoral system used in the 2019 election.

Instead, they will retain the two-seat Māori ward at the next election, and hold a referendum.

The decision followed two hours of at times emotional debate, and was greeted by waiata and haka from a large crowd gathered in the council foyer.

Māori ward councillor Phoenix Ruka called it a generational decision that would shape relationships in the district for decades to come.

More to come