The number of guaranteed positions for Māori representatives on New Zealand local authorities will be cut by over 50%, following a controversial legislative amendment that required local governments to put the fate of hard-earned 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 created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the option to vote for a assured Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, local governments could only create a Māori ward by initially submitting it to a public vote in their region. Communities frequently spent years building local support and urging their local governments to create Indigenous representation.
Legislative Shifts and Government Actions
To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted local councils to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to put it to a popular ballot.
However, this year, the right-wing coalition government overturned the policy, stating communities ought to determine whether to establish Indigenous representation.
Referendum Results
The new legislation mandated local authorities that had established a ward under Labour’s rules to hold binding referendums concurrently with the local body elections, which concluded on October 11. Of 42 councils taking part in the public vote, 17 decided to retain their seats, and 25 to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions against guaranteed Māori representation.
The results represented “a vital step in restoring community self-determination.”
Opposition parties nevertheless have condemned the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the coalition government has ushered in sweeping rollbacks to measures intended to enhance Māori health, wellbeing and representation. The government has said it aims to terminate “race-based” approaches, and says it is committed to improving outcomes for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.
Geographical Splits
Outcomes of the public votes were divided down urban-rural lines – most cities mandated to hold referendums supported Indigenous seats, while rural regions skewed heavily towards removing them.
“It’s a real shame for the Indigenous seats that had only just come in – they’re only just starting to find their footing.”
Electoral Participation and Concerns
The recent municipal polls registered the smallest electoral participation in 36 years, with less than a third of citizens casting a vote, leading to demands for reform.
The process had been “a farce”.
Differential Standards
Councils are permitted to create other types of wards – including countryside seats – without initially mandating a community ballot. The different conditions applied to Māori wards indicated the administration was singling out Indigenous inclusion.
“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have given the government a middle finger response.”
This remark concerned the 17 regions that chose to retain their seats.
