Mana whenua positions are yet to be filled at Invercargill City Council as processes are worked through behind the scenes.

On 4 November, the council voted to extend two appointee positions which have been in place since 2021.

But the council was still awaiting nominations for the upcoming term from Te Rūnaka o Awarua and Waihōpai Rūnaka, council manager governance and legal Michael Morris confirmed.

"Each of the rūnaka are working through their own processes and we look forward to an update soon," he said.

Te Rūnaka o Awarua kaiwhakahaere Pania Coote said Awarua was considering the appointment as part of a wider review of all its external representative roles.

An update about the process was intended for the New Year, she said.

Waihōpai Rūnaka kaiwhakahaere Cyril Gilroy said the rūnaka had sought expressions of interest and was working through the appointment process with a goal of having representation in place early next year.

Appointments for the previous term took place on 1 November 2022, within a month of the election.

Morris noted the council had already received nominations from the rūnaka at that time, so the decision to continue with the roles and reappoint previous representatives was done simultaneously.

The Awarua position has been held by Coote who unsuccessfully ran for council this election.

Reverend Evelyn Cook held the Waihōpai position and delivered an impassioned valedictory speech in September.

She was also vocal about the pay gap impacting the roles, clarifying Coote and Cook still technically hold the roles.

Last month, the council voted to pay the representatives $49,275 for the upcoming term compared to $54,347 for councillors.

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