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The number of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on NZ councils is set to be cut by more than half, after a divisive legislative amendment that required municipal councils to put the future of hard-earned Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which may have one or more councillors based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to vote for a guaranteed Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, councils could only create a Māori ward by initially putting it to a public vote in their area. Communities often spent years generating community backing and pushing their local governments to establish Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed local councils to establish a Māori ward without first requiring them to put it to a popular ballot.

But in 2024, the current administration overturned the policy, saying local residents ought to determine whether to establish Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation required councils that had created a electoral district under Labour’s rules to conduct binding referendums alongside the municipal polls, which concluded on October 11. Of 42 councils participating in the public vote, 17 voted to retain their seats, and 25 to abolish theirs – revealing numerous areas against guaranteed Māori representation.

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

Opposition parties however have criticised the new policy as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the current administration has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures designed to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has stated it aims to terminate “ethnic-specific” policies, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Māori and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

The results of the referendums were divided down city-country divisions – six of the seven urban centers required to vote backed Māori wards, while rural regions leaned strongly towards removing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Criticism

This year’s local government elections recorded the smallest electoral participation in 36 years, with under one-third of citizens participating, leading to calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are able to establish different wards – including countryside seats – without initially mandating a community ballot. The disparate requirements applied to Māori wards indicated the administration was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

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

This remark concerned the 17 regions that chose to keep their seats.