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The count of guaranteed seats for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities will be cut by more than half, after a controversial legislative amendment that required local governments to submit the fate of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have one or more councillors depending on demographic data, were created in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils were only able to create a Indigenous seat by first submitting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities frequently spent years building community backing and pushing their local governments to establish Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To remedy the issue, the former administration permitted municipal authorities to establish a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to put it to a public vote.

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 mandated local authorities that had created a ward under the previous policy to hold decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which concluded on October 11. Out of 42 local governments participating in the public vote, 17 decided to retain their seats, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing many regions against reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Opposition parties however have criticised the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the coalition government has implemented extensive reversals to measures intended to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to end “race-based” policies, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the public votes were split down urban-rural lines – six of the seven urban centers required to vote backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions leaned strongly towards removing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Concerns

The recent local government elections recorded the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with less than a third of citizens participating, prompting demands for reform.

The process had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are able to establish other types of wards – including rural wards – without first requiring a community ballot. The different conditions applied to Indigenous representation suggested the government was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

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

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