Far North Mayor Moko Tepania is calling for local councils to have the final say in place-naming decisions - instead of the current system that gives veto power to a government minister.
By Peter de Graaf of RNZ
Tepania told a Far North District Council meeting this week that his proposal was sparked by what he described as a series of "bizarre" place name decisions by successive ministers.
They included Minister Chris Penk's decision to go against New Zealand Geographic Board advice by declining to change the name of Russell to Kororāreka, or give both names equal standing.
That was "incredibly disheartening" for residents of the Bay of Islands town who had worked hard to have the original name restored, Tepania said.
Other examples included declining to correct Rangitikei to Rangitīkei, even though Manawatū had already been granted a similar macron request; and refusals to fix the spelling of Takanini, an Auckland suburb named after the tupuna [ancestor] Takaanini, and Abbot's Creek in South Wairarapa, despite requests by descendants of missionary William Abbott.
Under the current system, the Geographic Board sought out historical information and consulted local residents before making a decision on name-change requests - but that could be over-ruled by the Land Information Minister.
Tepania said it was "quite bizarre" when the board or the minister made decisions contrary to correct spelling.
"And I think it's the kind of decision making that better sits in the local communities than down in Wellington," he said.
Tepania's proposal was in the form of a remit to Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ).
If at least four other councils backed the remit, it would be put to the vote at the group's AGM in June. If it gained majority support, LGNZ would then lobby central government to consider the change - but that was by no means a guarantee of success.
Tepania said his proposal already had the backing of Northland Regional Council, Porirua City Council, and Kapiti and Rangitīkei district councils.
Councillor Davina Smolders said she supported localism and communities having a strong input into decisions that affected them, but geographic naming was not simply a local matter.
"Place names form part of New Zealand's national identity, history, mapping systems, navigation, tourism ... The impact extends far beyond individual districts and affects the entire country," she said.
Smolders said she also had concerns about consistency if naming authority was fragmented across multiple councils.
That opened up risks of "political influence, inconsistency between regions, and community division from identity-based naming debates".
Councillor Kelly Stratford said the purpose of the remit was not to remove the Geographic Board or the current decision-making framework, but to ensure local communities had the ultimate say.
"And at this point in time that's not what's happening," she said.
Two other LGNZ remits were debated during the meeting.
One, drafted by Rotorua Lakes Council, called on the government to strengthen the outdated Dog Control Act so local authorities could better deal with dangerous and roaming dogs.
Another, from Whangārei District Council, called for more funding for councils grappling with a "reform storm" imposed by central government.
The dog remit was passed unanimously.
The funding remit was passed with two abstentions.
The place-name devolution remit was passed with three votes against.
Kororāreka Marae chairwoman Deb Rewiri, who lodged the Russell name-change application in 2021, said it made more sense for local councils to decide on place names than a minister in Wellington.
"I think it's really important that the decision is made at a local community level."
When the Russell name change - or restoration as she preferred to call it - was declined by the minister in 2025, that was despite support from the Geographic Board and a majority of public submissions, she said.
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