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The number of guaranteed positions for Indigenous council members on NZ councils will be cut by over 50%, after a divisive law change that forced local governments to submit the fate of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have one or more councillors based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Māori electors the option to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, local governments were only able to create a Māori ward by initially putting it to a public vote in their area. Local populations frequently devoted considerable time building local support and pushing their local governments to create Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government allowed local councils to establish a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to put it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the current administration reversed the change, saying local residents ought to determine whether to introduce Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change mandated councils that had established a electoral district under the previous policy to conduct decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which concluded on 11 October. Of 42 councils taking part in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their seats, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – showing numerous areas against guaranteed Māori representation.

The results provided “a crucial move in restoring community self-determination.”

Opposition parties nevertheless have condemned the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the current administration has ushered in extensive reversals to measures intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it wants to terminate “race-based” policies, and asserts it is committed to enhancing results for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

The results of the referendums were divided down urban-rural lines – six of the seven urban centers mandated to hold referendums supported Māori wards, while rural regions skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Criticism

This year’s local government elections recorded the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with less than a third of eligible voters participating, prompting demands for reform.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are able to establish different electoral districts – including rural wards – without initially mandating a community ballot. The different conditions placed on Indigenous representation suggested the administration was targeting Indigenous inclusion.

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

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