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The count of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities will be slashed by over 50%, after a controversial law change that forced municipal councils to submit the fate of hard-won Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which can include one or more councillors based on demographic data, were created in 2001 to provide Māori electors the option to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils could only establish a Māori ward by first putting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities frequently spent years building local support and urging their councils to create Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To remedy the issue, the previous Labour government allowed local councils to establish a Māori ward without first requiring 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 Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change mandated councils that had established a electoral district under Labour’s rules to hold binding referendums concurrently with the local body elections, which concluded on October 11. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the referendum, 17 decided to retain their seats, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – showing many regions against guaranteed Māori representation.

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

Critics nevertheless have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the current administration has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has stated it wants to end “ethnic-specific” approaches, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Māori and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the referendums were divided down urban-rural lines – most urban centers mandated to hold referendums backed Indigenous seats, while countryside areas leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Concerns

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

This approach had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are permitted to establish different electoral districts – such as rural wards – without first requiring a community ballot. The different conditions applied to Māori wards indicated the administration was targeting Indigenous inclusion.

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

This statement referred to the 17 regions that chose to retain their wards.