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The number of reserved positions for Māori representatives on NZ local authorities will be cut by more than half, after a controversial legislative amendment that required local governments to submit the future of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Indigenous Representation

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have multiple elected officials based on demographic data, were established in 2001 to give Māori electors the option to elect a assured Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Initially, councils were only able to establish a Māori ward by first submitting it to a community referendum in their area. Communities often devoted considerable time generating community backing and pushing their local governments to create Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to establish a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to put it to a popular ballot.

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

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation mandated councils that had created a ward under Labour’s rules to conduct binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which concluded on 11 October. Out of 42 local governments participating in the referendum, 17 decided to retain their seats, and 25 to abolish theirs – revealing many regions against reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Opposition parties however have criticised the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has said it wants to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and says it is dedicated to enhancing results for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the public votes were split down urban-rural lines – most cities required to vote backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Concerns

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 mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are able to create other types of electoral districts – including rural wards – without initially mandating a community ballot. The different conditions placed on Indigenous representation indicated the government was targeting Indigenous inclusion.

“Ultimately, they were unsuccessful. Many communities have given the government a middle finger response.”

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