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The number of guaranteed seats for Indigenous council members on NZ local authorities will be slashed by more than half, following a controversial legislative amendment that forced local governments to put the fate of hard-won Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which may have multiple councillors based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the option to vote for a guaranteed Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Originally, local governments could only establish a Indigenous seat by first putting it to a public vote in their area. Communities frequently devoted considerable time building community backing and urging their local governments to establish Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted municipal authorities to set up a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to subject it to a popular ballot.

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, stating communities ought to determine whether to introduce Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change required councils that had created a ward under Labour’s rules to conduct binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which concluded on 11 October. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the public vote, 17 decided to keep their seats, and 25 to disestablish theirs – showing many regions opposed to guaranteed Māori representation.

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

Opposition parties nevertheless have criticised the new policy as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has implemented extensive reversals to measures intended to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has said it aims to terminate “race-based” policies, and says it is dedicated to enhancing results for Māori and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the referendums were split down city-country divisions – six of the seven cities mandated to hold referendums supported Māori wards, while rural regions leaned strongly towards removing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Māori wards that had recently been established – they’re just beginning to hit their stride.”

Electoral Participation and Criticism

This year’s local government elections registered the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with less than a third of citizens casting a vote, prompting demands for reform.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are able to create other types of electoral districts – including countryside seats – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions placed on Māori wards suggested the government was targeting Māori representation.

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

This statement referred to the 17 areas that chose to retain their seats.