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The number of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on NZ councils will be cut by more than half, following a divisive legislative amendment that required municipal councils to submit the fate of hard-won Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Indigenous Representation

Indigenous electoral districts, which can include one or more councillors based on demographic data, were created in 2001 to give Māori electors the option to elect a assured Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Initially, councils were only able to create a Māori ward by first submitting it to a public vote in their area. Communities often devoted considerable time building community backing and pushing their councils to create Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

To remedy the issue, the previous Labour government permitted municipal authorities to establish a Māori ward without initially mandating them to put it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating local residents should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had established a electoral district under Labour’s rules to hold decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on 11 October. Of 42 councils taking part in the public vote, 17 decided to retain their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – revealing many regions against guaranteed Māori representation.

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

Critics nevertheless have condemned the new policy as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the current administration has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures designed to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has said it aims to terminate “race-based” policies, and asserts it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the referendums were divided down urban-rural lines – most cities mandated to hold referendums backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Criticism

This year’s municipal polls registered the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with less than a third of citizens casting a vote, leading to calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are able to create other types of electoral districts – including rural wards – without initially mandating a public vote. The disparate requirements placed on Indigenous representation suggested the administration was singling out Māori representation.

“Ultimately, they were unsuccessful. Many communities have expressed strong opposition.”

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