🔗 Share this article Guaranteed Māori Seats on NZ Local Governments to Be Reduced by More Than Half The count of reserved positions for Māori representatives on NZ local authorities is set to be cut by more than half, after a divisive legislative amendment that forced municipal councils to submit the future of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a popular referendum. Background Information on Māori Wards Māori wards, which may have multiple councillors based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to elect a guaranteed Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Initially, councils were only able to create a Indigenous seat by first submitting it to a community referendum in their region. Communities often spent years generating local support and pushing their local governments to create Indigenous representation. Policy Changes and Government Actions To remedy the issue, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to set up a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to put it to a popular ballot. However, this year, the current administration overturned the policy, saying communities should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation. Referendum Results The new legislation required councils that had established a electoral district under Labour’s rules to conduct decisive public votes alongside the municipal polls, which ended on 11 October. Out of 42 local governments taking part in the referendum, 17 voted to keep their seats, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – showing numerous areas opposed to guaranteed Māori representation. These outcomes provided “a vital step in restoring community self-determination.” Opposition parties however have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the coalition government has ushered in extensive reversals to policies intended to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has said it aims to terminate “ethnic-specific” approaches, and says it is dedicated to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and every citizen. Urban-Rural Divide Outcomes of the public votes were divided down urban-rural lines – six of the seven cities mandated to hold referendums supported Indigenous seats, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards disestablishing them. “It's unfortunate for the Māori wards that had recently been established – they’re only just starting to hit their stride.” Electoral Participation and Criticism The recent municipal polls registered the smallest electoral participation in over three decades, with less than a third of citizens participating, leading to calls for an overhaul. This approach had been “a mockery”. Comparative Treatment Councils are able to establish other types of wards – such as countryside seats – without initially mandating a community ballot. The disparate requirements applied to Indigenous representation suggested the administration was singling out Māori representation. “Well, they failed. Numerous localities have given the government a middle finger response.” This remark concerned the 17 areas that chose to keep their seats.