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The count of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on NZ councils is set to be slashed by over 50%, after a divisive legislative amendment that forced municipal councils to put 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 councillors depending on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the option to elect a assured Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Originally, local governments could only establish a Māori ward by initially putting it to a public vote in their region. Local populations frequently spent years building community backing and urging their councils to establish Māori wards.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To remedy the issue, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to subject it to a public vote.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating communities should decide whether to introduce Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The new legislation required councils that had created a electoral district under the previous policy to hold binding referendums alongside the local body elections, which concluded on 11 October. Of 42 councils participating in the referendum, 17 voted to keep their wards, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

The results provided “a vital step in reinstating local democratic control.”

Critics however have criticised the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to terminate “ethnic-specific” approaches, and says it is dedicated to enhancing results for Māori and all New Zealanders.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the public votes were divided down city-country divisions – most cities mandated to hold referendums backed Indigenous seats, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

“It's unfortunate for the Māori wards that had recently been established – they’re just beginning to hit their stride.”

Voter Turnout and Concerns

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

This approach had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Local governments are permitted to establish other types of electoral districts – including countryside seats – without first requiring a community ballot. The different conditions applied to Māori wards suggested the government was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

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

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