66% of New Zealand's mayors have signed a letter against the Government's Māori ward changes but one mayor says it's a good thing. 

A Parliament select committee's recommended the Māori Wards Bill go ahead. 

It will force councils which established Māori wards since 2021 to hold a referendum in next year's local election on whether they should stay. 

Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen didn't sign onto the letter and told Mike Hosking that the Government's proposal makes sense. 

He says if councils want to make changes to local democracy by adding the wards, they should have to go to the people. 

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