48256 (2025). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Minister of Local Government

48256 (2025). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Minister of Local Government: What immediate corrective actions, if any, has the Electoral Officer and Whanganui District Council been instructed to take to ensure Māori electors in Whanganui are not disadvantaged in their ability to cast an informed vote in these elections?

Hon Simon Watts: The Whanganui District Council Electoral Officer took immediate actions to remedy the issue of the missing candidate information once they became aware of the issue. These actions included: • contacting affected candidates to inform them of the issue and to apologise; • issuing media statements apologising for the error; and • providing letters to affected voters, accompanied by the candidate profile statements. All eligible voters for the affected Māori wards have now received with the candidate profile statements.