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The count of reserved seats for Māori representatives on New Zealand local authorities will be slashed by over 50%, after a divisive law change that forced municipal councils to submit the fate of hard-won Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which can include one or more elected officials depending on demographic data, were established in 2001 to give Māori electors the choice to vote for a assured Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Initially, councils were only able to establish a Indigenous seat by initially submitting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities often spent years building local support and urging their councils to create Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted 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 overturned the policy, saying communities ought to determine whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation required councils that had created a ward under the previous policy to hold decisive public votes alongside the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their wards, and 25 to disestablish theirs – revealing numerous areas against reserved Indigenous seats.

The results represented “a vital step in restoring community self-determination.”

Critics however have condemned the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the current administration has implemented extensive reversals to measures designed to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has stated it wants to end “race-based” policies, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the referendums were split down city-country divisions – six of the seven cities required to vote backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Concerns

This year’s local government elections registered the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with under one-third of eligible voters participating, prompting demands for reform.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Councils are able to establish other types of wards – including countryside seats – without first requiring a community ballot. The different conditions applied to Māori wards suggested the government was targeting Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Many communities have given the government a middle finger response.”

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