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The count of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities is set to be cut by over 50%, after a divisive legislative amendment that forced local governments to submit the fate of hard-won Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have one or more elected officials depending on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the option to elect a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, local governments were only able to create a Indigenous seat by first submitting it to a public vote in their area. Local populations frequently devoted considerable time generating community backing and pushing their local governments to establish Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to establish a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to subject it to a public vote.

However, this year, the current administration reversed the change, saying local residents should decide whether to introduce Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change mandated local authorities that had created a electoral district under the previous policy to conduct binding referendums concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments participating in the public vote, 17 decided to retain their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – revealing numerous areas opposed to guaranteed Māori representation.

These outcomes provided “a vital step in restoring local democratic control.”

Critics however have condemned the new policy as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has implemented extensive reversals to measures intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it aims to terminate “race-based” approaches, and says it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the public votes were split down city-country divisions – six of the seven cities mandated to hold referendums backed Māori wards, while rural regions skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Criticism

The recent local government elections registered the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with less than a third of eligible voters participating, prompting demands for reform.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Councils are permitted to establish other types of wards – such as rural wards – without first requiring a public vote. The different conditions placed on Indigenous representation suggested the administration was singling out Māori representation.

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

This statement referred to the 17 regions that voted to keep their seats.