🔗 Share this article

The count of guaranteed seats for Māori representatives on New Zealand local authorities is set to be slashed by more than half, following a controversial law change that forced municipal councils to put the future of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have one or more elected officials depending on demographic data, were created in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Initially, councils could only establish a Māori ward by initially putting it to a community referendum in their region. Local populations often devoted considerable time generating community backing and pushing their local governments to establish Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Administrative Decisions

To remedy the issue, the previous Labour government allowed municipal authorities to set up a Māori ward without first requiring them to put it to a public vote.

However, this year, the current administration reversed the change, stating local residents should decide whether to establish Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The new legislation mandated local authorities that had established a electoral district under the previous policy to conduct decisive public votes alongside the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments participating in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their seats, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Critics nevertheless have condemned the new policy as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the current administration has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has said it wants to terminate “ethnic-specific” approaches, and says it is dedicated to enhancing results for Indigenous people 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 supported Indigenous seats, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

“It's unfortunate for the Māori wards that had only just come in – they’re only just starting to find their footing.”

Voter Turnout and Concerns

This year’s local government elections recorded the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with under one-third of eligible voters casting a vote, prompting demands for reform.

The process had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are permitted to establish different electoral districts – such as rural wards – without initially mandating a community ballot. The disparate requirements placed on Māori wards suggested the government was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

“Ultimately, they were unsuccessful. Many communities have expressed strong opposition.”

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