🔗 Share this article

The number of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities is set to be slashed by over 50%, after a divisive law change that required local governments to submit the future of hard-earned Māori seats to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have multiple elected officials based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the option to elect a guaranteed Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, local governments could only establish a Indigenous seat by initially putting it to a public vote in their area. Communities often spent years generating community backing and urging their councils to establish Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Administrative Decisions

To remedy the issue, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to establish a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to put it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, saying local residents should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change mandated councils that had established a electoral district under Labour’s rules to conduct binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments participating in the referendum, 17 voted to retain their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – showing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Critics nevertheless have criticised the new policy as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the coalition government has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it aims to end “race-based” policies, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Māori and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the public votes were divided down urban-rural lines – most urban centers required to vote supported Indigenous seats, while rural regions skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Criticism

This year’s local government elections registered the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with less than a third of citizens casting a vote, leading to calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are able to establish other types of electoral districts – such as countryside seats – without first requiring a community ballot. The disparate requirements placed on Indigenous representation indicated the government was targeting Indigenous inclusion.

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

This remark concerned the 17 areas that chose to keep their seats.