🔗 Share this article

The count of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities will be slashed by more than half, after a controversial law change that required municipal councils to submit the future of hard-won Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have multiple councillors depending on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a guaranteed Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils were only able to establish a Māori ward by initially submitting it to a public vote in their region. Local populations often spent years generating community backing and pushing their local governments to create Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government allowed local councils to establish a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to put it to a popular ballot.

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

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation mandated local authorities that had created a ward under Labour’s rules to conduct binding referendums alongside the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their wards, and 25 to disestablish theirs – revealing numerous areas against reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes represented “a vital step in reinstating community self-determination.”

Critics nevertheless have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the current administration has implemented extensive reversals to policies intended to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has said it aims to terminate “ethnic-specific” policies, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Māori and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

The results of the public votes were divided down city-country divisions – most cities mandated to hold referendums backed Indigenous seats, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards removing them.

“It's unfortunate for the Māori wards that had recently been established – they’re only just starting to find their footing.”

Voter Turnout and Concerns

This year’s local government elections recorded the smallest electoral participation in 36 years, with under one-third of citizens casting a vote, prompting demands for reform.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Councils are permitted to create other types of wards – such as countryside seats – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions placed on Māori wards indicated the government was targeting Māori representation.

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

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