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The number of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on NZ local authorities is set to be slashed 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.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which can include one or more elected officials based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Māori electors the option to elect a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils could only establish a Māori ward by initially putting it to a community referendum in their region. Local populations often spent years building community backing and pushing their councils to create Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To remedy the issue, the former administration permitted municipal authorities to establish a Māori ward without first requiring them to subject it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, stating local residents ought to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had created a ward under Labour’s rules to conduct decisive public votes alongside the municipal polls, which ended on 11 October. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the public vote, 17 voted to keep their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – showing numerous areas against reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Opposition parties nevertheless have criticised the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to policies intended to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to terminate “race-based” approaches, and asserts it is committed to enhancing results for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the referendums were divided down city-country divisions – six of the seven cities required to vote backed Indigenous seats, while countryside areas leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Concerns

The recent municipal polls registered the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with under one-third of eligible voters participating, leading to calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are able to create other types of electoral districts – such as countryside seats – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions applied to Māori wards indicated the administration 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 areas that voted to retain their wards.