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The number of guaranteed positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand councils is set to be cut by over 50%, following a divisive legislative amendment that forced local governments to put the future of hard-won Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have one or more councillors depending on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a assured Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, councils could only create a Māori ward by initially putting it to a community referendum in their region. Local populations often devoted considerable time building local support and pushing their councils to establish Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted local councils to establish a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to subject it to a public vote.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating local residents should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change mandated councils that had created a ward under the previous policy to hold binding referendums concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their seats, and 25 to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions against reserved Indigenous seats.

The results provided “a vital step in restoring community self-determination.”

Opposition parties however have criticised the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to policies designed to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it wants to terminate “race-based” policies, and asserts it is committed to enhancing results for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the public votes were divided down city-country divisions – six of the seven urban centers required to vote supported Indigenous seats, while rural regions leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Criticism

This year’s municipal polls recorded the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with under one-third of citizens casting a vote, prompting calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Councils are able to establish other types of wards – including countryside seats – without initially mandating a public vote. The disparate requirements placed on Māori wards indicated the government was targeting Māori representation.

“Ultimately, they were unsuccessful. Many communities have expressed strong opposition.”

This statement concerned the 17 areas that chose to keep their wards.