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The count of guaranteed positions for Māori representatives on New Zealand local authorities will be slashed by more than half, following a divisive law change that required municipal councils to put the future of hard-won Māori seats to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which can include multiple elected officials based on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a guaranteed Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Originally, local governments were only able to create a Indigenous seat by first putting it to a community referendum in their area. Local populations often devoted considerable time generating community backing and urging their councils to establish Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted municipal authorities to set up a Māori ward without initially mandating them to subject it to a popular ballot.

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

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change mandated local authorities that had established a ward under Labour’s rules to conduct decisive public votes concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils participating in the public vote, 17 decided to keep their wards, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – showing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes represented “a crucial move in restoring local democratic control.”

Critics nevertheless have criticised the new policy as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the current administration has implemented extensive reversals to measures intended to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it wants to terminate “ethnic-specific” approaches, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

The results of the public votes were split down urban-rural lines – six of the seven cities mandated to hold referendums supported Māori wards, while rural regions skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

“It's unfortunate for the Māori wards that had recently been established – they’re just beginning to find their footing.”

Voter Turnout and Criticism

The recent municipal polls recorded the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with under one-third of citizens casting a vote, leading to calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are able to create different electoral districts – such as rural wards – without first requiring a public vote. The disparate requirements placed on Māori wards indicated the government was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

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

This remark referred to the 17 areas that voted to keep their wards.