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The count of reserved seats for Māori representatives on NZ local authorities will be cut by more than half, after a divisive legislative amendment that required local governments to submit the future of hard-earned Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have multiple elected officials depending on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to provide Māori electors the choice to vote for a assured Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Originally, local governments could only create a Indigenous seat by initially submitting it to a community referendum in their region. Local populations frequently spent years generating community backing and urging their councils to create Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted local councils to set up a Māori ward without first requiring them to put it to a popular ballot.

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

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had created a ward under the previous policy to hold binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which concluded on October 11. Of 42 councils participating in the public vote, 17 decided to retain their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – showing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes provided “a crucial move in reinstating local democratic control.”

Critics nevertheless have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to policies intended to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it wants to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and says it is dedicated to improving outcomes for Māori and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the referendums were divided down urban-rural lines – six of the seven cities mandated to hold referendums supported Indigenous seats, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards removing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Criticism

This year’s municipal polls registered the smallest electoral participation in 36 years, with under one-third of eligible voters participating, leading to calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Councils are able to establish different wards – including rural wards – without initially mandating a community ballot. The disparate requirements applied to Māori wards suggested the government was singling out Māori representation.

“Ultimately, they were unsuccessful. Many communities have given the government a middle finger response.”

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