🔗 Share this article

The number of guaranteed seats for Māori representatives on New Zealand councils will be slashed by more than half, after a controversial law change that forced municipal councils to submit the future of hard-earned Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have one or more councillors based on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to provide Māori electors the choice to elect a assured Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, councils could only create a Indigenous seat by first putting it to a community referendum in their area. Local populations frequently devoted considerable time generating local support and pushing their local governments to create Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to establish a Māori ward without initially mandating them to put it to a public vote.

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating local residents ought to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change mandated councils that had created a electoral district under the previous policy to hold binding referendums alongside the municipal polls, which concluded on 11 October. Of 42 councils taking part in the public vote, 17 decided to keep their wards, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing many regions against guaranteed Māori representation.

These outcomes represented “a vital step in reinstating community self-determination.”

Critics nevertheless have criticised the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to terminate “race-based” approaches, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

The results of the referendums were split down city-country divisions – six of the seven cities required to vote backed Māori wards, while rural regions leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.

“It's unfortunate for the Māori wards that had only just come in – they’re only just starting to find their footing.”

Voter Turnout and Criticism

The recent local government elections recorded the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with less than a third of eligible voters casting a vote, leading to demands for reform.

The process had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

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

“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have given the government a middle finger response.”

This statement referred to the 17 regions that voted to keep their seats.