This amendment is a good first step today towards embodying Te Tiriti o Waitangi at a local level and returning the balance of power to mana whenua. However, it does not guarantee Māori representation or necessarily restore any mana whenua rights. So it must be seen as a first step only in returning power to tangata whenua to their rohe, or crossing that bridge. It should be compulsory on councils—or, at least, compulsory to have mana whenua reps.