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The count of guaranteed seats for Indigenous council members on NZ councils is set to be cut by more than half, after a controversial 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 can include multiple elected officials depending on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Māori electors the choice to elect a assured Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, councils were only able to establish a Indigenous seat by initially submitting it to a community referendum in their area. Communities often devoted considerable time building local support and pushing their local governments 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 first requiring them to subject it to a popular ballot.

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

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change mandated councils that had established a ward under the previous policy to conduct binding referendums alongside the local body elections, which concluded on 11 October. Of 42 councils participating in the referendum, 17 voted to keep their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – showing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Critics however have criticised the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “anti-Māori”. Since taking office, the current administration has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has said it aims to terminate “ethnic-specific” policies, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the public votes were divided down city-country divisions – six of the seven cities mandated to hold referendums supported Māori wards, while rural regions leaned strongly towards removing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Concerns

The recent local government elections registered the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with under one-third of citizens participating, leading to demands for reform.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are able to create other types of electoral districts – including countryside seats – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions applied to Indigenous representation indicated the administration was targeting Indigenous inclusion.

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

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