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The number of guaranteed positions for Indigenous council members on NZ local authorities will be slashed by over 50%, following a divisive law change that forced municipal councils to put the fate of hard-earned Māori seats to a public vote.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which can include multiple councillors based on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to elect a assured Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Originally, local governments were only able to create a Māori ward by initially putting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities frequently devoted considerable time building community backing and pushing their councils to create Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To remedy the issue, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to set up a Māori ward without initially mandating them to put it to a public vote.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, saying local residents ought to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation mandated councils that had established a ward under Labour’s rules to hold decisive public votes concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on 11 October. Of 42 councils taking part in the public vote, 17 voted to retain their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – revealing many regions opposed to guaranteed Māori representation.

The results represented “a vital step in reinstating community self-determination.”

Opposition parties nevertheless have criticised the government’s law change as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. Since taking office, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to policies intended to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has said it aims to end “race-based” policies, and says it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the referendums were split down city-country divisions – six of the seven urban centers required to vote backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions leaned strongly towards removing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Māori wards that had only just come in – they’re only just starting to find their footing.”

Electoral Participation and Concerns

The recent local government elections recorded the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with under one-third of eligible voters participating, prompting calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are permitted to establish other types of wards – such as countryside seats – without first requiring a public vote. The disparate requirements placed on Indigenous representation suggested the administration was singling out Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have given the government a middle finger response.”

This remark concerned the 17 regions that voted to retain their seats.