🔗 Share this article

The count of reserved positions for Māori representatives on NZ local authorities is set to be slashed by more than half, after a divisive law change that forced municipal councils to put the fate of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have one or more elected officials based on demographic data, were created in 2001 to provide Māori electors the option to elect a guaranteed Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils could only establish a Māori ward by initially submitting it to a public vote in their region. Communities often spent years generating community backing and pushing their councils to establish Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To remedy the issue, the previous Labour government allowed municipal authorities to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to subject it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, stating communities should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation mandated councils that had established a ward under Labour’s rules to conduct decisive public votes concurrently with the municipal polls, which concluded on 11 October. Of 42 councils taking part in the public vote, 17 decided to keep their wards, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing many regions opposed to guaranteed Māori representation.

The results provided “a crucial move in reinstating community self-determination.”

Critics however have criticised the new policy as “discriminatory” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has said it aims to terminate “ethnic-specific” policies, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

The results of the referendums were divided down city-country divisions – six of the seven cities required to vote supported Māori wards, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Indigenous seats that had recently been established – they’re just beginning to find their footing.”

Electoral Participation and Concerns

The recent municipal polls registered the smallest electoral participation in 36 years, with under one-third of citizens casting a vote, leading to calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are able to create different wards – including rural wards – without first requiring a community ballot. The different conditions applied to 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 concerned the 17 areas that chose to keep their wards.