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The count of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on NZ councils is set to be slashed by more than half, following a controversial legislative amendment that required local governments to put the future of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have multiple elected officials based on demographic data, were created in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the choice to elect a guaranteed Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils were only able to establish a Māori ward by initially submitting it to a community referendum in their region. Local populations often devoted considerable time generating local support and pushing their councils to establish Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To remedy the issue, the former administration permitted municipal authorities to set up a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to put it to a public vote.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, stating local residents ought to determine whether to introduce Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The new legislation required local authorities that had established a ward under Labour’s rules to hold decisive public votes alongside the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils taking part in the public vote, 17 decided to keep their seats, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing numerous areas against guaranteed Māori representation.

The results provided “a vital step in reinstating local democratic control.”

Opposition parties however have condemned the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the current administration has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it aims to end “ethnic-specific” approaches, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the referendums were divided down urban-rural lines – six of the seven cities required to vote supported Indigenous seats, while countryside areas leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Criticism

This year’s local government elections registered the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with under one-third of citizens participating, leading to calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are permitted to create different electoral districts – such as countryside seats – without initially mandating a community ballot. The different conditions placed on Māori wards suggested the administration was singling out Māori representation.

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

This remark referred to the 17 regions that chose to retain their wards.