Guaranteed Indigenous Council Positions on NZ Councils to Be Slashed by More Than Half

The number of reserved seats for Māori representatives on New Zealand councils will be cut by more than half, after a controversial legislative amendment that required local governments to submit the future of hard-won Māori seats to a public vote.

Historical Context on Indigenous Representation

Indigenous electoral districts, which can include one or more elected officials based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Māori electors the option to elect a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils were only able to create a Indigenous seat by first submitting it to a public vote in their region. Local populations frequently devoted considerable time building local support and urging their local governments to create Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed local councils to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to put it to a popular ballot.

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

Referendum Results

The new legislation mandated councils that had established a electoral district under the previous policy to conduct binding referendums alongside the local body elections, which ended on 11 October. Of 42 councils taking part in the referendum, 17 voted to retain their wards, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – showing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

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

Opposition parties however have criticised the new policy as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures designed 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.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the public votes were split down urban-rural lines – six of the seven urban centers required to vote supported Māori wards, while countryside areas leaned strongly towards removing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Concerns

The recent municipal polls registered the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with under one-third of eligible voters participating, leading to demands for reform.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Councils are permitted to establish other types of wards – such as rural wards – without first requiring a public vote. The different conditions applied to Māori wards indicated the government was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

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

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