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The number of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities is set to be cut by more than half, after a controversial 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 can include multiple elected officials depending on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to elect a guaranteed Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Originally, local governments were only able to create a Māori ward by first submitting it to a public vote in their area. Local populations often spent years building local support and pushing their councils to create Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

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

However, this year, the current administration reversed the change, stating communities ought to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change required councils that had created a ward under the previous policy 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 voted to keep their seats, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – showing numerous areas against reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes represented “a vital step in reinstating local democratic control.”

Critics nevertheless have criticised the new policy as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to measures intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has said it wants to end “ethnic-specific” approaches, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the public votes were divided down urban-rural lines – most urban centers required to vote backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions skewed heavily towards removing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Māori wards that had recently been established – they’re only just starting to find their footing.”

Voter Turnout and Criticism

The recent local government elections registered the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with less than a third of eligible voters casting a vote, prompting calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Councils are able to create other types of wards – including rural wards – without first requiring a public vote. The different conditions applied to Māori wards suggested 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 retain their seats.