Show Notes
This week Taryn delves into Andrew Judd's own personal journey around Māori wards. In this raw, honest and deeply human episode Andrew reveals how he came to the realisation he was racist, why he will always be a recovering racist, and how he transformed his personal awakening into a broader mission.
His story is a lens into how one person’s commitment to doing the right thing, even when unpopular, can ripple outward and create national change. Across Aotearoa, Andrew helped normalise the idea that Pākehā have work to do in honouring Te Tiriti, but that came at an enormous personal and professional cost to him.
In the second episode of WTH Are Māori wards, Andrew reflects on a journey that has challenged his identity, cost him his comfort, and ultimately transformed the way he sees race, power, and what it really means to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
More from WTH Are Māori Wards?
After twelve weeks, twenty-five voices, and more lightbulb moments than we can count — here it is, the grand finale. In this season wrap-up, hosts Anaru Judd and Taryn Utiger look back at the biggest myth-busting moments, the toughest truths, and the most moving kōrero from across the series. It’s deep, it’s cheeky, it’s honest, and it might just be the best episode of the lot. Expect laughter, reflection, a few surprises, and plenty of banter as this dynamic duo unpack what they’ve learned (and unlearned) along the way. Grab your cuppa, whānau because this one goes straight to the heart of it all.
Whānau, we’ve saved a big one for last. In our final guest kōrero of the season, we bring you voices that sit at very different ends of the spectrum, and together, they show us exactly what’s at stake. First up is Damon Fox, ACT Party candidate for New Plymouth District Council. He shares why he believes Māori wards aren’t the right path forward, drawing on his own values. Then we turn to Jay and Erin Ruka, whose life’s mahi is weaving aroha, reconciliation and difference into strength. Together these perspectives pose the question, are Māori wards division, or are they partnership? This episode is thoughtful, fiery, and deeply reflective. It’s not just about council seats, it’s about the kind of Aotearoa we want to grow into. Stay tuned for next week, when Andrew and Taryn reflect on the series and wrap up WTH we’ve learnt from WTH Are Māori Wards.
From “no wards at all” to “Māori wards are a must,” this episode has it all. We bring you kōrero from every corner of the debate. There’s a mayoral candidate, a Treaty expert, a migrant professor, and a long-time community advocate who’s been walking this journey for more than a decade. In this chorus of perspectives, we talk to John Woodward who shares why he wants an at-large system with no wards at all, June Nicklin who takes us back to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its promises, Professor Mohan Dutta who offers a migrant’s lens on solidarity and justice, and Glen Bennett who reflects on more than a decade of fighting for Māori wards. Together, their kōrero shows just how layered, challenging, and vital this conversation really is. It’s not about left or right, for or against, it’s about what fairness, partnership, and representation looks like in Aotearoa today. Four voices, one kaupapa, and a debate that shapes the future for all of us.
Whānau, the future doesn’t arrive fully formed, it's shaped by us. It's shaped through the fire of activism, through the fearlessness of rangatahi, and through the wisdom of te ao Māori guiding us forward.
From town halls to marae, hui are springing up all over Aotearoa, and they’re buzzing with kōrero about Māori wards. This week Anaru and Taryn take you inside one of them - the Keep Māori Wards Manawatū Hui, recorded and shared with aroha by our whānau at Manawatū People’s Radio.