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The count of guaranteed seats for Indigenous council members on NZ councils is set to be slashed by more than half, following a controversial legislative amendment that forced local governments to submit the future of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have one or more elected officials depending on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to give Māori electors the choice to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils were only able to establish a Indigenous seat by initially submitting it to a public vote in their area. Local populations often spent years building community backing and pushing their councils to create Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Administrative Decisions

To remedy the issue, the previous Labour government allowed municipal authorities to set up a Māori ward without initially mandating them to subject it to a popular ballot.

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating communities should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation required councils that had established a electoral district under the previous policy to conduct decisive public votes concurrently with the municipal polls, which concluded on 11 October. Of 42 councils taking part in the public vote, 17 decided to retain their wards, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – showing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes provided “a crucial move in restoring local democratic control.”

Critics nevertheless have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the current administration has implemented sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and asserts it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

The results of the referendums were divided down city-country divisions – most cities mandated to hold referendums backed Māori wards, while rural regions leaned strongly towards removing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Concerns

The recent local government elections registered the smallest electoral participation in 36 years, with less than a third of citizens participating, prompting calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Councils are able to create other types of electoral districts – including countryside seats – without first requiring a community ballot. The different conditions applied to Māori wards indicated the administration was targeting Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have expressed strong opposition.”

This statement concerned the 17 areas that voted to keep their seats.