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The count of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand councils is set to be slashed by more than half, following a controversial legislative amendment that forced local governments to submit the future of hard-won Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Indigenous electoral districts, which can include one or more elected officials depending on demographic data, were established in 2001 to give Māori electors the option to vote for a assured Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, local governments could only establish a Māori ward by initially putting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities often devoted considerable time building community backing and pushing their councils to create Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government allowed municipal authorities to set up a Māori ward without first requiring them to put it to a public vote.

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, saying local residents ought to determine whether to introduce Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The new legislation required councils that had created a electoral district under the previous policy to conduct binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which concluded on October 11. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the referendum, 17 decided to retain their seats, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions against guaranteed Māori representation.

These outcomes represented “a crucial move in reinstating community self-determination.”

Opposition parties nevertheless have condemned the new policy as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to measures intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has said it wants to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

The results of the referendums were divided down city-country divisions – six of the seven cities mandated to hold referendums supported Māori wards, while rural regions leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Criticism

The recent local government elections recorded the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with under one-third of eligible voters casting a vote, prompting demands for reform.

This approach had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are able to establish different electoral districts – including rural wards – without initially mandating a community ballot. The disparate requirements applied to Indigenous representation indicated the administration was singling out Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have expressed strong opposition.”

This remark referred to the 17 regions that voted to retain their wards.