🔗 Share this article

The number of reserved positions for Māori representatives on New Zealand councils will be slashed by more than half, following a controversial law change that required municipal councils to put the future of hard-won Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have one or more elected officials depending on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the option to elect a assured Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, councils could only create a Māori ward by initially submitting it to a community referendum in their area. Local populations frequently spent years generating local support and pushing their councils to create Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Administrative Decisions

To remedy the issue, the former administration allowed local councils to establish a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to put it to a popular ballot.

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

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change required councils that had established a electoral district under Labour’s rules to conduct binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the referendum, 17 voted to keep their seats, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – revealing many regions against guaranteed Māori representation.

The results provided “a crucial move in restoring local democratic control.”

Opposition parties nevertheless have criticised the government’s law change as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the current administration has implemented sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has said it wants to terminate “ethnic-specific” policies, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the referendums were split down urban-rural lines – most urban centers mandated to hold referendums backed Māori wards, while rural regions leaned strongly towards removing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Criticism

This year’s local government elections registered the smallest electoral participation in 36 years, with under one-third of eligible voters participating, prompting calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are permitted to create other types of electoral districts – including rural wards – without initially mandating a community ballot. The different conditions applied to Indigenous representation suggested the administration was singling out Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Many communities have expressed strong opposition.”

This statement concerned the 17 areas that chose to retain their wards.