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The count of guaranteed seats for Māori representatives on New Zealand local authorities is set to be cut by more than half, following a controversial legislative amendment that required local governments to put the future of hard-won Māori seats to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have one or more councillors depending on demographic data, were created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the option to vote for a assured Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils could only create a Māori ward by first submitting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities often devoted considerable time generating community backing and pushing their local governments to establish Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

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

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, saying local residents should decide whether to introduce Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The new legislation mandated councils that had created a ward under the previous policy to conduct binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils participating in the public vote, 17 voted to keep their wards, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – revealing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes represented “a vital step in restoring community self-determination.”

Opposition parties however have condemned the new policy as “discriminatory” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the public votes were split down city-country divisions – six of the seven urban centers required to vote supported Māori wards, while rural regions leaned strongly towards removing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Māori wards that had recently been established – they’re only just starting to find their footing.”

Voter Turnout and Concerns

This year’s municipal polls registered the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with less than a third of citizens casting a vote, prompting calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are permitted to create other types of wards – including countryside seats – without first requiring a community ballot. The disparate requirements placed on Indigenous representation indicated the administration 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.