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The number of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on New Zealand councils will be slashed by more than half, after a controversial law change that forced municipal councils to put the fate of hard-won Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Indigenous electoral districts, which can include multiple elected officials depending on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to give Māori electors the choice to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Initially, councils were only able to establish a Indigenous seat by initially putting it to a community referendum in their area. Communities often devoted considerable time building community backing and pushing their local governments to establish Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

To remedy the issue, the previous Labour government allowed local councils to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to put it to a public vote.

However, this year, the current administration reversed the change, saying communities ought to determine whether to establish Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had created a electoral district under the previous policy to hold binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on 11 October. Of 42 councils participating in the referendum, 17 voted to keep their seats, and 25 to abolish theirs – revealing many regions against guaranteed Māori representation.

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

Critics nevertheless have criticised the new policy as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the current administration has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it aims to terminate “ethnic-specific” approaches, and says it is committed to improving outcomes for Māori and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the referendums were divided down urban-rural lines – most urban centers mandated to hold referendums backed Māori wards, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards disestablishing 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 Criticism

The recent local government elections registered the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with less than a third of eligible voters casting a vote, leading to demands for reform.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Councils are permitted to establish different wards – including countryside seats – without first requiring a public vote. The disparate requirements placed on Indigenous representation suggested the administration was singling out Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have given the government a middle finger response.”

This statement referred to the 17 areas that voted to keep their wards.