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The count of guaranteed positions for Māori representatives on New Zealand councils is set to be cut by more than half, after a divisive legislative amendment that required local governments to submit the future of hard-won Indigenous wards to a public vote.

Background Information on Māori Wards

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have multiple elected officials depending on demographic data, were established in 2001 to give Māori electors the option to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Originally, councils were only able to create a Indigenous seat by initially submitting it to a community referendum in their region. Local populations frequently spent years building community backing and urging their local governments to create Indigenous representation.

Policy Changes and Government Actions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted local councils to set up a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to put it to a popular ballot.

But in 2024, the current administration overturned the policy, saying local residents should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change required councils that had created a ward under the previous policy to hold decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils participating in the referendum, 17 decided to keep their seats, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – showing numerous areas against guaranteed Māori representation.

These outcomes represented “a crucial move in restoring community self-determination.”

Opposition parties however have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. Officials has stated it wants to end “race-based” approaches, and says it is dedicated to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the public votes were split down urban-rural lines – most cities required to vote supported Indigenous seats, while rural regions skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

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

Electoral Participation and Concerns

The recent local government elections recorded the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with less than a third of eligible voters participating, leading to calls for an overhaul.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are permitted to establish other types of electoral districts – such as rural wards – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions applied to Indigenous representation suggested the administration was singling out Māori representation.

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

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