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The number of guaranteed seats for Indigenous council members on NZ local authorities will be cut by more than half, after a divisive legislative amendment that forced municipal councils to submit the fate of hard-earned Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have multiple elected officials based on demographic data, were created in 2001 to provide Māori electors the choice to elect a guaranteed Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, local governments could only create a Māori ward by first submitting it to a community referendum in their area. Communities frequently spent years building local support and urging their councils to establish Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

To remedy the issue, the former administration allowed local councils to set up a Māori ward without first requiring them to put it to a public vote.

However, this year, the current administration reversed the change, saying local residents ought to determine whether to establish Māori wards.

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. Of 42 councils participating in the public vote, 17 decided to retain their wards, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

The results represented “a vital step in restoring community self-determination.”

Opposition parties nevertheless have condemned the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the current administration has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has said it aims to terminate “ethnic-specific” policies, and asserts it is dedicated to enhancing results for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the public votes were split down urban-rural lines – most cities required to vote supported Māori wards, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards removing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Concerns

This year’s municipal polls recorded the smallest electoral participation in 36 years, with less than a third of eligible voters casting a vote, leading to demands for reform.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are able to create different electoral districts – including rural wards – without first requiring a public vote. The different conditions applied to Māori wards indicated the government was singling out Māori representation.

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

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