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The count of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand councils will be slashed by more than half, after a divisive law change that required local governments to put the fate of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have one or more councillors depending on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to give Māori electors the choice to elect a guaranteed Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils were only able to establish a Indigenous seat by initially putting it to a community referendum in their area. Communities often devoted considerable time generating local support and pushing their councils to establish Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

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

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, saying communities ought to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change required councils that had established a electoral district under the previous policy to conduct decisive public votes alongside the local body elections, which concluded on 11 October. Of 42 councils participating in the public vote, 17 decided to keep their seats, and 25 to disestablish theirs – showing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

The results represented “a crucial move in restoring local democratic control.”

Critics nevertheless have criticised the government’s law change as “racist” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the current administration has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to policies intended to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has stated it wants to end “ethnic-specific” approaches, and asserts it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Geographical Splits

The results of the referendums were split down urban-rural lines – six of the seven cities mandated to hold referendums backed Māori wards, while rural regions leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.

“It’s a real shame for the Māori wards that had only just come in – they’re only just starting to find their footing.”

Electoral Participation and Criticism

This year’s municipal polls recorded the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with less than a third of citizens participating, prompting calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are permitted to establish different electoral districts – including countryside seats – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions placed on Indigenous representation suggested the administration was targeting Indigenous inclusion.

“Well, they failed. Many communities have given the government a middle finger response.”

This statement referred to the 17 regions that voted to keep their wards.