🔗 Share this article

The count of guaranteed seats for Māori representatives on New Zealand local authorities is set to be cut by over 50%, after a controversial legislative amendment that required local governments to submit the fate of hard-won Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have one or more elected officials depending on demographic data, were created in 2001 to provide Māori electors the option to elect a guaranteed Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils were only able to establish a Indigenous seat by first putting it to a public vote in their region. Communities frequently devoted considerable time generating community backing and urging their local governments to establish Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration permitted local councils to set up a Māori ward without first requiring them to put it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the current administration overturned the policy, stating communities ought to determine whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change mandated local authorities that had created a ward under Labour’s rules to conduct binding referendums concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments participating in the public vote, 17 voted to retain their wards, and 25 to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes represented “a crucial move in restoring community self-determination.”

Critics nevertheless have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has implemented sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it aims to end “race-based” approaches, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the public votes were split down urban-rural lines – six of the seven urban centers mandated to hold referendums backed Māori wards, while rural regions 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 hit their stride.”

Voter Turnout and Criticism

This year’s municipal polls registered the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with under one-third of eligible voters casting a vote, prompting calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are able to create other types of wards – such as rural wards – without first requiring a public vote. The different conditions applied to Indigenous representation suggested the government was singling out Māori representation.

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

This remark concerned the 17 regions that chose to keep their wards.