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The count of reserved seats for Māori representatives on New Zealand councils is set to be slashed by more than half, following a divisive legislative amendment that required municipal councils to put the future of hard-earned Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have one or more elected officials based on demographic data, were created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the option to vote for a guaranteed Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils were only able to create a Māori ward by initially putting it to a public vote in their region. Communities often spent years building local support and urging their local governments to create Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration permitted local councils to set up a Māori ward without first requiring them to subject it to a public vote.

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating local residents ought to determine whether to establish Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation mandated local authorities that had established a electoral district under the previous policy to conduct binding referendums alongside the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils taking part in the referendum, 17 voted to keep their wards, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes provided “a vital step in reinstating community self-determination.”

Opposition parties however have condemned the new policy as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. Since taking office, the current administration has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies intended to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it wants to terminate “ethnic-specific” policies, and says it is dedicated to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

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

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

Voter Turnout and Concerns

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

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are able to create other types of electoral districts – including rural wards – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions applied to Indigenous representation indicated the administration was targeting Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have expressed strong opposition.”

This statement referred to the 17 areas that chose to retain their wards.