The number of reserved positions for Indigenous council members on NZ local authorities is set to be slashed by over 50%, after a divisive law change that forced municipal councils to submit the future of hard-won Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.
Māori wards, which can include one or more councillors depending on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Māori electors the option to elect a assured Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, local governments were only able to establish a Indigenous seat by first submitting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities frequently devoted considerable time generating community backing and pushing their local governments to establish Indigenous representation.
To address this concern, the former administration permitted local councils to set up a Māori ward without initially mandating them to put it to a public vote.
However, this year, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating local residents should decide whether to establish Māori wards.
The coalition’s law change mandated local authorities that had established a ward under the previous policy to conduct decisive public votes alongside the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils taking part in the referendum, 17 voted to retain their seats, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – showing numerous areas against reserved Indigenous seats.
These outcomes represented “a crucial move in reinstating community self-determination.”
Critics however have condemned 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 Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has stated it aims to end “race-based” approaches, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Māori and all New Zealanders.
Outcomes of the referendums were divided down urban-rural lines – most cities mandated to hold referendums supported Indigenous seats, while countryside areas leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.
“It's unfortunate for the Indigenous seats that had recently been established – they’re only just starting to find their footing.”
This year’s local government elections registered the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with less than a third of eligible voters participating, prompting demands for reform.
This approach had been “a mockery”.
Councils are able to establish different electoral districts – including countryside seats – without initially mandating a community ballot. The different conditions applied to Māori wards suggested the government was singling out Indigenous inclusion.
“Well, they failed. Many communities have expressed strong opposition.”
This remark concerned the 17 regions that voted to retain their wards.
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