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The number of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand councils is set to be cut by more than half, after a controversial law change that required local governments to submit the future of hard-earned Māori seats to a public vote.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Indigenous electoral districts, which can include one or more elected officials based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Māori electors the choice to vote for a assured Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, councils were only able to establish a Indigenous seat by first putting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities frequently spent years building local support and urging their local governments to establish Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the former administration permitted 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, stating local residents should decide whether to introduce Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The new legislation required local authorities that had created a electoral district under the previous policy to hold binding referendums alongside the municipal polls, which ended on 11 October. Of 42 councils participating in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their wards, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

The results represented “a vital step in restoring local democratic control.”

Critics however have condemned the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “anti-Māori”. Since taking office, the current administration has implemented sweeping rollbacks to measures designed to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has said it wants to terminate “ethnic-specific” approaches, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the referendums were split down urban-rural lines – six of the seven urban centers mandated to hold referendums backed Māori wards, while countryside areas leaned strongly towards removing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Indigenous seats that had recently been established – they’re just beginning to hit their stride.”

Voter Turnout and Concerns

The recent local government elections recorded the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with less than a third of citizens casting a vote, prompting calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are able to create different wards – including rural wards – without initially mandating a community ballot. The disparate requirements applied to Indigenous representation suggested the administration was targeting Indigenous inclusion.

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

This remark referred to the 17 regions that chose to retain their seats.