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The number of guaranteed positions for Indigenous council members on NZ councils will be cut by more than half, after a controversial legislative amendment that forced municipal councils to submit the future of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which can include one or more councillors based on demographic data, were created in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the option to vote for a assured Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, local governments could only create a Māori ward by initially submitting it to a public vote in their region. Communities frequently spent years building community backing and urging their local governments to create Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted local councils to establish a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to subject it to a public vote.

But in 2024, the current administration reversed the change, saying communities should decide whether to introduce Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The new legislation required councils that had created a electoral district under Labour’s rules to conduct binding referendums concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on 11 October. Out of 42 local governments participating in the referendum, 17 voted to keep their wards, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing many regions opposed to guaranteed Māori representation.

These outcomes provided “a vital step in restoring local democratic control.”

Opposition parties however have criticised the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to policies intended to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the public votes were split down urban-rural lines – most cities required to vote backed Māori wards, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards removing 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 Concerns

The recent local government elections recorded the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with under one-third of citizens participating, prompting calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are permitted to establish other types of wards – such as countryside seats – without first requiring a community ballot. The disparate requirements placed on Indigenous representation suggested the government was targeting Indigenous inclusion.

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

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