🔗 Share this article

The count of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities will be slashed by over 50%, following a controversial law change that required local governments to put the future of hard-earned Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have multiple elected officials based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Māori electors the choice to vote for a assured Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Initially, local governments were only able to create a Māori ward by first submitting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities frequently devoted considerable time generating local support and pushing their councils to establish Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed local councils to establish a Māori ward without initially mandating them to subject it to a public vote.

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating local residents ought to determine whether to establish Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation required local authorities that had established a electoral district under Labour’s rules to hold decisive public votes alongside the local body elections, which ended on 11 October. Out of 42 local governments participating in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – showing many regions against reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Opposition parties however have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has stated it wants to end “ethnic-specific” approaches, and says it is dedicated to enhancing results for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the public votes were divided down city-country divisions – most cities required to vote backed Māori wards, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Indigenous seats that had recently been established – they’re just beginning to find their footing.”

Voter Turnout and Criticism

This year’s municipal polls recorded the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with under one-third of eligible voters participating, leading to calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are permitted to establish other types of wards – including countryside seats – without initially mandating a community ballot. The disparate requirements placed on Indigenous representation suggested the administration was singling out Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have expressed strong opposition.”

This statement referred to the 17 regions that chose to keep their wards.