Deputy Mayor Chong skips Te Huinga Taumata workshop table

TL;DR

Deputy Mayor Murray Chong refused to join a Te Huinga Taumata workshop table at New Plymouth District Council on the Treaty of Waitangi review.
He sat in the public gallery with the New Plymouth Rate Payers Alliance citing a security threat.[[1]](https://www.facebook.com/groups/aotearoanzhistory/posts/1490450726110618)
Highlights tensions over Māori engagement committees amid Chong's vocal opposition to co-governance issues.

The story at a glance

New Plymouth Deputy Mayor Murray Chong declined to participate at the council table during a Te Huinga Taumata workshop focused on the Draft Tiriti Outcomes Framework and Treaty of Waitangi review. He chose to sit in the public gallery alongside members of the New Plymouth Rate Payers Alliance, reportedly due to a security threat. The article reports this amid ongoing council debates on Treaty-related matters. Te Huinga Taumata is the NPDC's joint committee for iwi engagement.[[3]](https://grokipedia.com/page/new_plymouth_district_council)

Key points

Workshop topic: Draft Tiriti Outcomes Framework and Treaty of Waitangi review, held at New Plymouth District Council (Ngāmotu).
Chong, deputy mayor and known critic of co-governance, abstained from sitting at the committee table.
He joined public gallery with New Plymouth Rate Payers Alliance members, citing a 'security threat'.[[1]](https://www.facebook.com/groups/aotearoanzhistory/posts/1490450726110618)
Te Huinga Taumata is NPDC's iwi committee for Māori input on council decisions, including planning and Treaty matters.[[4]](https://www.facebook.com/groups/699847870159954/posts/3908011009343608)
Event aligns with national debates on Treaty principles; Chong has faced prior threats over Māori ward stance.[[5]](https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/neil-holdom-new-plymouth-mayor-responds-to-murray-chong-feeling-threatened-ahead-of-m%C4%81ori-ward-vote)
Article by Glenn McLean published April 15, 2026; paywalled, but reported in social media coverage.[[6]](https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360987575/deputy-mayor-chong-refuses-sit-around-table-councils-te-huinga-taumatua-workshop)

Details and context

Te Huinga Taumata serves as a forum for New Plymouth District Council to engage local iwi on policy, mandated under Treaty principles; it includes council and iwi reps.[[3]](https://grokipedia.com/page/new_plymouth_district_council) Workshops like this discuss national initiatives such as the Draft Tiriti Outcomes Framework, part of government efforts to clarify Treaty applications.

Chong has history of controversy: opposed Māori wards (voters disestablished them in 2025 referendum), received threats including a gunshot at his vehicle tied to those views.[[5]](https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/neil-holdom-new-plymouth-mayor-responds-to-murray-chong-feeling-threatened-ahead-of-m%C4%81ori-ward-vote) His abstention reflects ratepayer concerns over iwi influence in local governance.

No direct council response or Chong quote found in accessible coverage; security claim unverified beyond reports.

Key quotes

None reliably sourced from article; secondary mentions note Chong "abstained... due to a ‘security threat’." (The Ngāmotu Advocate, Facebook post).

Why it matters

Tensions over Treaty committees like Te Huinga Taumata underscore national divides on co-governance in local decisions.

For ratepayers and councillors, it raises safety concerns in polarized debates, potentially disrupting council work.

Watch council responses or further workshops on Treaty reviews, though Chong's future participation remains uncertain.