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The number of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities will be cut by over 50%, after a divisive legislative amendment that forced municipal councils to put the fate of hard-won Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which may have multiple elected officials based on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to provide Māori electors the option to elect a assured Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils could only establish a Māori ward by initially putting it to a public vote in their area. Local populations often devoted considerable time generating community backing and urging their local governments to establish Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed local councils to establish a Māori ward without first requiring them to subject it to a public vote.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, saying local residents ought to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The new legislation mandated councils that had created a electoral district under the previous policy to hold decisive public votes concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on 11 October. Of 42 councils taking part in the referendum, 17 decided to retain their seats, and 25 to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions against reserved Indigenous seats.

The results provided “a vital step in restoring community self-determination.”

Critics however have criticised the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the current administration has implemented extensive reversals to measures intended to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has said it wants to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

The results of the referendums were split down urban-rural lines – most cities mandated to hold referendums backed Indigenous seats, while rural regions leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.

“It's unfortunate 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 local government elections registered the smallest electoral participation in 36 years, with less than a third of citizens casting a vote, leading to demands for reform.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are permitted to create other types of wards – including rural wards – without initially mandating a community ballot. The different conditions applied to Māori wards indicated the government was singling out Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Many communities have expressed strong opposition.”

This remark concerned the 17 areas that chose to retain their seats.