Reserved Māori Council Positions on New Zealand Councils to Be Reduced by More Than Half

The number of guaranteed positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand local authorities will be slashed by over 50%, after a divisive law change that required municipal councils to put the fate of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have one or more councillors depending on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to elect a guaranteed Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils could only establish a Indigenous seat by initially submitting it to a community referendum in their area. Communities frequently devoted considerable time generating community backing and urging their councils to create Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to establish a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to put it to a popular ballot.

But in 2024, the current administration overturned the policy, stating local residents should decide whether to introduce Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The new legislation required local authorities that had created a ward under Labour’s rules to hold decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on 11 October. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the public vote, 17 decided to retain their wards, and 25 to disestablish theirs – showing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes represented “a vital step in restoring local democratic control.”

Opposition parties nevertheless have condemned the new policy as “discriminatory” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures designed to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has stated it wants to end “ethnic-specific” approaches, and says it is dedicated to enhancing results for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

The results of the referendums were split down urban-rural lines – most urban centers mandated to hold referendums supported Indigenous seats, while countryside areas leaned strongly towards removing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Concerns

This year’s local government elections recorded the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with under one-third of citizens casting a vote, leading to demands for reform.

The process had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are permitted to establish different wards – including rural wards – without first requiring a community ballot. The disparate requirements applied to Indigenous representation suggested the government was targeting Indigenous inclusion.

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

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