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The number of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on New Zealand councils will be cut by more than half, after a divisive law change that required local governments to submit the fate of hard-earned Māori seats to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which can include one or more councillors based on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the option to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils could only create a Māori ward by initially submitting it to a public vote in their region. Local populations often devoted considerable time building community backing and urging their local governments to create Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

To remedy the issue, the previous Labour government permitted municipal authorities to establish a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to subject it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the current administration reversed the change, stating local residents should decide whether to introduce Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation mandated local authorities that had created a electoral district under the previous policy to conduct decisive public votes alongside the municipal polls, which concluded on 11 October. Out of 42 local governments participating in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their wards, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions opposed to guaranteed Māori representation.

These outcomes provided “a vital step in restoring local democratic control.”

Critics nevertheless have condemned the new policy as “discriminatory” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it wants to terminate “race-based” approaches, and asserts it is dedicated to improving outcomes for Māori and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the referendums were divided down urban-rural lines – six of the seven cities required to vote backed Māori wards, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

“It's unfortunate for the Indigenous seats that had only just come in – they’re just beginning to find their footing.”

Electoral Participation and Criticism

The recent local government elections recorded the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with under one-third of citizens casting a vote, leading to demands for reform.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are able to establish other types of electoral districts – including rural wards – without first requiring a community ballot. The disparate requirements placed on Māori wards suggested the administration was targeting Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Many communities have expressed strong opposition.”

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