🔗 Share this article

The number of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities will be slashed by over 50%, after a controversial law change that forced municipal councils to submit the future of hard-won Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which can include multiple councillors depending on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, local governments could only establish a Māori ward by first putting it to a public vote in their area. Communities often spent years generating local support and pushing their councils to establish Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed local councils to set up a Māori ward without initially mandating them to put 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.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change mandated local authorities that had created a ward under Labour’s rules to conduct binding referendums alongside the local body elections, which ended on 11 October. Of 42 councils participating in the referendum, 17 voted to retain their wards, and 25 to disestablish theirs – showing many regions opposed to guaranteed Māori representation.

These outcomes provided “a crucial move in restoring local democratic control.”

Opposition parties however have condemned the new policy as “discriminatory” and “anti-Māori”. Since taking office, the current administration has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it aims to terminate “race-based” approaches, and says it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

The results of the public votes were split down city-country divisions – most cities mandated to hold referendums backed Māori wards, while rural regions skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Concerns

This year’s municipal polls registered the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with under one-third of citizens casting a vote, leading to calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are permitted to create different wards – including countryside seats – without first requiring a public vote. The disparate requirements placed on Māori wards indicated the administration was targeting Māori representation.

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

This statement concerned the 17 areas that voted to retain their wards.