Guaranteed Māori Council Positions on New Zealand Councils to Be Slashed by Over 50%

The count of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand councils is set to be slashed by over 50%, after a divisive law change that required local governments to put the future of hard-won Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which can include one or more councillors depending on demographic data, were created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to elect a assured Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils could only establish a Māori ward by initially submitting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities frequently spent years building community backing and pushing their local governments to establish Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration permitted local councils to establish a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to subject it to a public vote.

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

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change mandated councils that had created a electoral district under Labour’s rules to hold decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments participating in the referendum, 17 voted to keep their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – revealing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

The results represented “a vital step in reinstating community self-determination.”

Critics nevertheless have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the referendums were split down city-country divisions – six of the seven urban centers mandated to hold referendums backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions leaned strongly towards removing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Concerns

This year’s local government elections registered the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with under one-third of eligible voters casting a vote, prompting demands for reform.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

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

“Ultimately, they were unsuccessful. Numerous localities have given the government a middle finger response.”

This remark referred to the 17 regions that chose to keep their seats.