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The number of guaranteed seats for Indigenous council members on NZ councils will be slashed by over 50%, following a controversial legislative amendment that forced local governments to submit the fate of hard-earned Māori seats to a public vote.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which can include one or more elected officials depending on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a assured Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils were only able to establish a Indigenous seat by initially submitting it to a public vote in their area. Local populations often spent years generating community backing and urging their councils to establish Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government allowed municipal authorities to establish a Māori ward without first requiring them to put it to a popular ballot.

But in 2024, the current administration overturned the policy, stating local residents ought to determine whether to introduce Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had established a ward under the previous policy to hold binding referendums alongside the local body elections, which concluded on 11 October. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the public vote, 17 decided to retain their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – revealing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Opposition parties nevertheless have criticised the government’s law change as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. Since taking office, the current administration has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has said it wants to end “ethnic-specific” approaches, and asserts it is dedicated to enhancing results for Māori and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the referendums were split down urban-rural lines – six of the seven urban centers mandated to hold referendums supported Māori wards, while countryside areas leaned strongly towards removing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Concerns

This year’s local government elections recorded the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with less than a third of citizens casting a vote, leading to calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are able to create different wards – including rural wards – without first requiring a public vote. The different conditions applied to Māori wards suggested the government was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

“Ultimately, they were unsuccessful. Numerous localities have expressed strong opposition.”

This remark concerned the 17 regions that chose to retain their seats.