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The count of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities will be slashed by more than half, following a divisive law change that required local governments to put the future of hard-earned Māori seats to a public vote.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which can include multiple councillors depending on demographic data, were established in 2001 to provide Māori electors the option to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, local governments could only create a Indigenous seat by initially putting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities often spent years building local support and urging their local governments to create Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To remedy the issue, the previous Labour government permitted local councils to establish a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to put it to a public vote.

But in 2024, the current administration reversed the change, saying communities should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The new legislation mandated local authorities that had established a ward under Labour’s rules to hold decisive public votes alongside the local body elections, which concluded on 11 October. Out of 42 local governments participating in the public vote, 17 decided to keep their wards, and 25 to abolish theirs – revealing many regions against reserved Indigenous seats.

The results represented “a vital step in reinstating local democratic control.”

Opposition parties nevertheless have criticised the new policy as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the current administration has implemented sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has stated it aims to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the referendums were divided down urban-rural lines – six of the seven urban centers required to vote supported Indigenous seats, while rural regions leaned strongly towards removing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Indigenous seats that had only just come in – they’re only just starting to hit their stride.”

Electoral Participation and Criticism

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

The process had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are able to establish different wards – such as rural wards – without initially mandating a community ballot. The disparate requirements applied to Māori wards indicated the government was targeting Māori representation.

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

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