Māori names and stories returned to the whenua
Names dating back to stories treasured by Māori are being returned to the whenua in parks across communities in the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board area.
The local board has adopted 18 names from mana whenua as part of the council’s cultural identity programme, Te Kete Rukuruku.
Names for another 32 parks are being determined.
The first of the names has now been revealed with the unveiling of signs bearing the new dual name Waenganui / Allenby Park in Papatoetoe.
“Our local board is incredibly honoured to receive and reinstate these taonga, the names and histories of mana whenua," said Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia.
“The distinct cultures in our local board area are our strength. Our community has told us that ensuring Māori arts, culture and history being more visible in public places is really important to them and this is a really simple but powerful way we can do that and something we will look after and treasure.”
Ngāti Tamaoho, who named the park, said the ceremony marked an important milestone.
"For Ngāti Tamaoho that is exciting because focussing on the whenua is something we have really pushed for over the years,” said Ngāti Tamaoho Charitable Trust chair Tori Ngataki.
The board chose Waenganui / Allenby Park to have a full suite of bilingual signs including a new entrance sign with the name Waenganui / Allenby Park, an interpretive sign with the narrative in te reo Māori and English, and a QR code allowing people to scan their phone to hear the correct pronunciation.
Information helping people to navigate will be displayed in English and Maori on public facilities around the park.
Regulatory signs such as bylaw and alcohol ban information will feature in English and te reo Maori.
By-election for Otara-Papatoetoe area
Just to let everyone know that we have another by-election happening, and here is the reason why. Below are details and dates, so keep an eye on your letter boxes.
The Manukau Court’s Ruling
The Manukau District Court determined that the Papatoetoe subdivision result of the Ōtara–Papatoetoe Local Board election was invalid, ruling that the outcome had been “materially affected” by voting irregularities. Judge Richard McIlraith found that the scale and nature of the irregularities met the legal threshold required to void an election under New Zealand’s local electoral laws.
In his decision, Judge McIlraith stated that the evidence presented — including reports of stolen voting papers, fraudulent use of ballots, and other procedural irregularities — was sufficient to conclude that the integrity of the election had been compromised. The court noted that at least 79 voting papers were identified as having been cast without the rightful voter’s knowledge during a judicially supervised examination of ballot boxes.
While the judge acknowledged that the election had been administered “properly and in accordance with all requirements” by Independent Election Services and the electoral officer, he concluded that the fraudulent activity originated outside the official process and nonetheless impacted the final result to a degree that required the election to be voided.
As a result of the ruling, the court ordered that a new election must be held, with Auckland Council confirming that the fresh poll must be completed by 9 April 2026
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Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.
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83.4% Same!
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