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The count of reserved positions for Māori representatives on NZ local authorities will be cut by more than half, after a divisive law change that required municipal councils to put the future of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have multiple councillors based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Māori electors the option to vote for a guaranteed Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, local governments were only able to establish a Māori ward by initially putting it to a community referendum in their region. Local populations frequently spent years building local support and urging their councils to create Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To remedy the issue, the previous Labour government permitted local councils to set up a Māori ward without first requiring them to put it to a public vote.

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, saying communities should decide whether to introduce Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change mandated councils that had established a electoral district under Labour’s rules to conduct decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the public vote, 17 voted to keep their seats, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

The results represented “a vital step in reinstating local democratic control.”

Opposition parties nevertheless have criticised the new policy as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to policies designed to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has stated it aims to end “race-based” approaches, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

The results of the public votes were divided down urban-rural lines – six of the seven cities required to vote supported Indigenous seats, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Concerns

The recent local government elections registered the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with under one-third of citizens participating, prompting demands for reform.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Councils are permitted to establish other types of electoral districts – such as rural wards – without first requiring a public vote. The disparate requirements applied to Indigenous representation suggested the government was targeting Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have expressed strong opposition.”

This statement referred to the 17 areas that chose to keep their wards.