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The count of guaranteed positions for Indigenous council members on NZ councils will be cut by over 50%, following a divisive law change that required local governments to submit the future of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Historical Context on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which can include one or more councillors based on demographic data, were created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the option to vote for a guaranteed Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils could only create a Indigenous seat by first putting it to a public vote in their area. Communities frequently devoted considerable time building community backing and urging their local governments to create Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To remedy the issue, the previous Labour government allowed municipal authorities to establish a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to subject it to a popular ballot.

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating local residents should decide whether to establish Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change required councils that had established a electoral district under the previous policy to hold binding referendums alongside the municipal polls, which concluded on October 11. Of 42 councils participating in the public vote, 17 decided to keep their seats, and 25 to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

The results represented “a crucial move in reinstating community self-determination.”

Critics however have condemned the new policy as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the current administration has implemented sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it wants to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the referendums were split 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 only just come in – they’re just beginning to find their footing.”

Voter Turnout and Criticism

The recent municipal polls registered the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with under one-third of eligible voters participating, prompting demands for reform.

The process had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are able to establish different electoral districts – such as rural wards – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions placed on Māori wards suggested the government was singling out Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Many communities have given the government a middle finger response.”

This remark referred to the 17 areas that chose to keep their wards.