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The number of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on NZ councils is set to be slashed by over 50%, after a divisive legislative amendment that required municipal councils to submit the fate of hard-earned Māori seats to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have multiple elected officials based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the option to elect a assured Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, councils were only able to establish a Māori ward by first submitting it to a community referendum in their area. Communities often devoted considerable time generating community backing and pushing their councils to establish Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government allowed local councils to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to subject it to a public vote.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, saying communities should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had created a ward under Labour’s rules to hold binding referendums alongside the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the public vote, 17 voted to keep their seats, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions against guaranteed Māori representation.

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

Critics nevertheless have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. Since taking office, the coalition government has implemented extensive reversals to policies intended to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to terminate “race-based” policies, and asserts it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Geographical Splits

The results of the referendums were divided down city-country divisions – most urban centers required to vote backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions leaned strongly towards disestablishing 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.”

Voter Turnout and Concerns

The recent municipal polls registered the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with less than a third of eligible voters casting a vote, leading to calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Councils are able to establish 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 Indigenous inclusion.

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

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