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The count of guaranteed positions for Indigenous council members on NZ councils will be cut by over 50%, following a divisive legislative amendment that forced local governments to put the future of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which can include one or more elected officials based on demographic data, were established in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the option to vote for a guaranteed Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, councils were only able to create a Māori ward by first putting it to a public vote in their region. Local populations often spent years building local support and pushing their councils to establish Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

To remedy the issue, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to subject it to a public vote.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating local residents should decide whether to establish Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation required local authorities that had created a ward under the previous policy to hold binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils taking part in the public vote, 17 voted to retain their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – revealing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Critics nevertheless have condemned the new policy as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures designed to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has said it aims to end “race-based” approaches, and says it is dedicated to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the public votes were divided down city-country divisions – six of the seven urban centers required to vote supported Indigenous seats, while rural regions skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Māori wards that had only just come in – they’re only just starting to hit their stride.”

Electoral Participation and Concerns

This year’s municipal polls registered the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with under one-third of eligible voters participating, prompting calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Councils are able to create different electoral districts – such as rural wards – without first requiring a public vote. The disparate requirements applied to Indigenous representation indicated the administration was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have given the government a middle finger response.”

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