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The number of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on NZ councils is set to be slashed by more than half, after a controversial legislative amendment that forced local governments to submit the future of hard-won Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Background Information on Indigenous Representation

Indigenous electoral districts, which can include multiple elected officials depending on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the option to vote for a guaranteed Indigenous council member in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, local governments were only able to create a Māori ward by initially putting it to a community referendum in their region. Local populations often spent years generating local support and pushing their councils to establish Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted local councils to set up a Māori ward without initially mandating them to put it to a popular ballot.

However, this year, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, saying communities should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change mandated local authorities that had established a electoral district under the previous policy to hold binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on 11 October. Of 42 councils taking part in the public vote, 17 voted to keep their seats, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – revealing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

The results represented “a crucial move in reinstating community self-determination.”

Opposition parties however have criticised the new policy as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to improve Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has said it wants to end “ethnic-specific” approaches, and says it is committed to improving outcomes for Māori and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

Outcomes of the referendums were divided down city-country divisions – most cities mandated to hold referendums supported Indigenous seats, while countryside areas leaned strongly towards disestablishing them.

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

Voter Turnout and Criticism

This year’s municipal polls recorded the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with less than a third of citizens participating, prompting demands for reform.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are able to create other types of wards – such as countryside seats – without initially mandating a public vote. The disparate requirements applied to Indigenous representation indicated the administration was singling out Indigenous inclusion.

“Ultimately, they were unsuccessful. Many communities have expressed strong opposition.”

This statement referred to the 17 regions that voted to retain their seats.