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The number of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities will be cut by more than half, following a controversial law change that required municipal councils to submit the future of hard-won Māori seats to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which can include one or more councillors depending on demographic data, were established in 2001 to provide Māori electors the option to elect a assured Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils could only establish a Māori ward by first putting it to a public vote in their region. Local populations frequently spent years generating local support and pushing their local governments to create Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to establish a Māori ward without initially mandating them to put it to a public vote.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, saying communities ought to determine whether to establish Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had established a ward under the previous policy to hold binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Out of 42 local governments participating in the public vote, 17 voted to keep their wards, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – showing many regions against reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes provided “a crucial move in restoring community self-determination.”

Critics however have condemned the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has implemented extensive reversals to policies designed to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has said it wants to terminate “ethnic-specific” policies, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Māori and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

The results of the public votes were divided down urban-rural lines – most cities required to vote supported Māori wards, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards removing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Māori wards that had recently been established – they’re only just starting to hit their stride.”

Electoral Participation and Concerns

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

The process had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Councils are able to create other types of wards – including rural wards – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions placed on Māori wards indicated the government was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

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

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