Māori Wardens
Māori Wardens are over 1000 volunteers providing support, security, traffic and crowd control and first aid, under the Māori Community Development Act 1962. Their main powers under the Act relate to alcohol, with the ability to warn a licensee to stop serving liquor to a Māori, order any Māori to leave a hotel, seize liquor at a Māori function, or take car keys.
Government accepted rūnanga in 1861 to provide for local self-government. Māori wardens were then appointed on their recommendation. However, after the Invasion of the Waikato, government involvement declined, so it was not until the Māori Social and Economic Advancement Act 1945 that Tribal Executives got power to nominate and control wardens. Section 7 of the 1962 Act gave this role to District Māori Councils.
Each rohe has a Regional Co-ordinator, who builds relationships with local agencies and groups to promote Māori Wardens' services.
