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The number of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on NZ councils will be slashed by more than half, after a divisive law change that forced municipal councils to put the fate of hard-won Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which may have multiple councillors based on demographic data, were established in 2001 to give Māori electors the option to elect a guaranteed Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Originally, local governments were only able to create a Māori ward by initially putting it to a community referendum in their area. Local populations often spent years generating local support and pushing their local governments to establish Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government allowed local councils to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to put it to a popular ballot.

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, saying local residents ought to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change required councils that had created a electoral district under the previous policy to hold decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils participating in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their wards, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – revealing numerous areas against reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes represented “a crucial move in reinstating community self-determination.”

Opposition parties nevertheless have criticised the new policy as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to policies designed to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has stated it aims to terminate “race-based” approaches, and says it is committed to improving outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Geographical Splits

The results of the public votes were divided down city-country divisions – six of the seven cities mandated to hold referendums backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

“It's unfortunate for the Māori wards that had recently been established – they’re just beginning to find their footing.”

Electoral Participation and Criticism

The recent municipal polls recorded the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with less than a third of eligible voters participating, leading to calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are able to create other types of electoral districts – such as rural wards – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions applied to Māori wards indicated the government was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

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

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