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

The number of guaranteed positions for Indigenous council members on New Zealand councils will be slashed by more than half, after a controversial legislative amendment that required local governments to submit the future of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Indigenous Representation

Māori wards, which may have one or more councillors based on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the choice to elect a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils could only establish a Māori ward by first putting it to a public vote in their area. Communities frequently spent years generating community backing and pushing their councils to create Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted local councils to establish a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to subject it to a public vote.

But in 2024, the current administration overturned the policy, saying communities ought to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The new legislation mandated councils that had created a ward under Labour’s rules to hold decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which concluded on 11 October. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their wards, and 25 to abolish theirs – revealing many regions against reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes represented “a vital step in reinstating community self-determination.”

Opposition parties nevertheless have criticised the new policy as “discriminatory” and “anti-Māori”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to policies intended to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to terminate “race-based” policies, and asserts it is dedicated to enhancing results for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the public votes were split down city-country divisions – most cities required to vote supported Māori wards, while rural regions leaned strongly towards removing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Concerns

The recent municipal polls registered the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with less than a third of eligible voters casting a vote, prompting calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Councils are permitted to create different electoral districts – including countryside seats – without initially mandating a community ballot. The different conditions applied to Māori wards indicated the administration was targeting Indigenous inclusion.