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The count of reserved seats for Māori representatives on New Zealand councils will be slashed by over 50%, after a divisive law change that forced municipal councils to submit the future of hard-won Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which may have one or more elected officials based on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a assured Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, local governments were only able to establish a Māori ward by initially putting it to a community referendum in their area. Communities frequently spent years building local support and urging their local governments to establish Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted municipal authorities to establish a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to put it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, saying communities ought to determine whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change mandated local authorities that had established a ward under Labour’s rules to hold decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which concluded on 11 October. Of 42 councils participating in the public vote, 17 voted to keep their seats, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing many regions against reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes provided “a crucial move in restoring community self-determination.”

Opposition parties however have condemned the new policy as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to terminate “ethnic-specific” approaches, and says it is dedicated to enhancing results for Māori and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

The results of the public votes were divided down urban-rural lines – most cities required to vote supported Māori wards, while rural regions leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Concerns

This year’s local government elections recorded the smallest electoral participation in 36 years, with under one-third of eligible voters casting a vote, prompting calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are permitted to create different electoral districts – including rural wards – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions placed on 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 regions that voted to retain their wards.