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The count of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities is set to be slashed by more than half, following a divisive legislative amendment that required local governments to submit the fate of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have one or more councillors based on demographic data, were created in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a guaranteed Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils could only establish a Indigenous seat by first submitting it to a public vote in their region. Communities frequently spent years building local support and urging their local governments to create Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government allowed local councils to establish a Māori ward without first requiring them to subject it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the current administration overturned the policy, saying local residents ought to determine whether to establish Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had created a electoral district under Labour’s rules to conduct decisive public votes alongside the local body elections, which concluded on October 11. Out of 42 local governments participating in the referendum, 17 voted to keep their seats, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – showing many regions opposed to guaranteed Māori representation.

The results provided “a crucial move in restoring 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 implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has stated it aims to end “race-based” approaches, and says it is dedicated to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the public votes were split down urban-rural lines – six of the seven cities mandated to hold referendums backed Māori wards, 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 hit their stride.”

Voter Turnout and Concerns

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

The process had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Councils are permitted to establish other types of wards – such as rural wards – without initially mandating a public vote. The disparate requirements placed on Indigenous representation indicated the government was targeting Māori representation.

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

This statement referred to the 17 areas that chose to keep their wards.