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The number of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on New Zealand councils is set to be cut by more than half, after a divisive law change that forced municipal councils to put the future of hard-won Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which may have one or more elected officials depending on demographic data, were established in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a guaranteed Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Initially, councils could only establish a Indigenous seat by first submitting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities frequently spent years generating community backing and pushing their local governments to create Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration permitted local councils to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to subject it to a public vote.

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, saying local residents should decide whether to establish Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had established a electoral district under Labour’s rules to conduct binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils participating in the public vote, 17 voted to retain their seats, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing many regions against reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes provided “a vital step in restoring community self-determination.”

Opposition parties nevertheless have condemned the new policy as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the current administration has ushered in extensive reversals to measures intended to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has said it aims to end “ethnic-specific” approaches, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the public votes were split down city-country divisions – most cities mandated to hold referendums backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

“It's unfortunate for the Māori wards that had recently been established – they’re only just starting to hit their stride.”

Voter Turnout and Criticism

This year’s municipal polls recorded the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with less than a third of eligible voters participating, prompting calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are permitted to create different wards – such as rural wards – without initially mandating a community ballot. The disparate requirements placed on Māori wards suggested the government was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

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

This statement referred to the 17 areas that voted to keep their wards.