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The number of reserved seats for Māori representatives on New Zealand local authorities will be slashed by more than half, after a controversial law change that required local governments to put the future of hard-won Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which can include one or more councillors depending on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a guaranteed 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 frequently devoted considerable time generating community backing and pushing their councils to establish Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted municipal authorities to establish a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to subject it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, stating local residents should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The new legislation required local authorities that had established a ward under the previous policy to hold decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments participating in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their seats, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – showing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Critics however have condemned the new policy as “discriminatory” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to measures designed to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has stated it aims to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Geographical Splits

The results of the public votes were divided down urban-rural lines – six of the seven cities required to vote backed Māori wards, while countryside areas leaned strongly towards removing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Concerns

The recent local government elections recorded the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with less than a third of citizens casting a vote, leading to calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are able to establish other types of electoral districts – such as rural wards – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions applied to Indigenous representation suggested the government was targeting Māori representation.

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

This remark referred to the 17 areas that chose to retain their wards.