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The number of guaranteed seats for Māori representatives on NZ councils will be slashed by more than half, after a divisive legislative amendment that required municipal councils to put the future of hard-earned Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have one or more elected officials depending on demographic data, were established in 2001 to provide Māori electors the choice to elect a guaranteed Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Originally, local governments could only create a Māori ward by first putting it to a public vote in their area. Communities frequently spent years building local support and pushing their councils to create Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted municipal authorities to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to subject it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating local residents ought to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation required councils that had established a ward under Labour’s rules to conduct decisive public votes alongside the local body elections, which concluded on October 11. Of 42 councils taking part in the referendum, 17 decided to retain their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – revealing numerous areas against guaranteed Māori representation.

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

Opposition parties however have criticised the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to policies intended to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has said it wants to end “ethnic-specific” approaches, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

The results of the referendums were divided down city-country divisions – six of the seven cities required to vote backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions skewed heavily towards removing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Indigenous seats that had recently been established – they’re only just starting to hit their stride.”

Voter Turnout and Concerns

This year’s municipal polls registered 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

Local governments are permitted to create different electoral districts – including rural wards – without first requiring a community ballot. The different conditions placed on Indigenous representation indicated the government was targeting Indigenous inclusion.

“Ultimately, they were unsuccessful. Numerous localities have given the government a middle finger response.”

This remark concerned the 17 regions that chose to keep their wards.