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The count of guaranteed positions for Māori representatives on NZ local authorities will be slashed by over 50%, after a controversial law change that required municipal councils to put the fate of hard-won Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which can include one or more councillors based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the choice to elect a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, councils were only able to establish a Māori ward by first submitting it to a public vote in their area. Communities frequently devoted considerable time building community backing and urging their councils to create Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to put it to a public vote.

However, this year, the current administration overturned the policy, stating communities ought to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation mandated councils that had established a ward under the previous policy to conduct decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which concluded on 11 October. Of 42 councils participating in the public vote, 17 voted to retain their seats, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – showing many regions against reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Opposition parties however have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to measures intended to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it wants to terminate “ethnic-specific” policies, and asserts it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the referendums were divided down city-country divisions – most urban centers mandated to hold referendums backed Indigenous seats, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards removing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Indigenous seats that had recently been established – they’re just beginning to find their footing.”

Voter Turnout and Criticism

This year’s municipal polls registered the smallest electoral participation in 36 years, with less than a third of eligible voters casting a vote, leading to demands for reform.

The process had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are permitted to create different wards – such as countryside seats – without first requiring a community ballot. The disparate requirements placed on Māori wards suggested the administration was targeting Māori representation.

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

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