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The number of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on New Zealand councils will be cut by over 50%, after a divisive legislative amendment that forced municipal councils to put the future of hard-earned Māori seats to a public vote.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which may have multiple councillors based on demographic data, were created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the choice to elect a assured Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils were only able to establish a Māori ward by first putting it to a public vote in their area. Communities frequently spent years building community backing and pushing their councils to create Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Government Actions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to set up a Māori ward without initially mandating them to put it to a public vote.

But in 2024, the current administration reversed the change, saying local residents should decide whether to introduce Māori wards.

Voting Outcomes

The coalition’s law change mandated local authorities that had created a electoral district under Labour’s rules to hold decisive public votes alongside the municipal polls, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils participating in the public vote, 17 voted to retain their seats, and 25 to abolish theirs – showing numerous areas opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes provided “a vital step in restoring community self-determination.”

Critics nevertheless have condemned the new policy as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the current administration has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has said it aims to end “race-based” approaches, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Indigenous people and every citizen.

Urban-Rural Divide

Outcomes of the referendums were divided down city-country divisions – six of the seven urban centers 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 just beginning to find their footing.”

Voter Turnout and Concerns

This year’s municipal polls recorded the lowest voter turnout in over three decades, with under one-third of eligible voters participating, leading to demands for reform.

The process had been “a mockery”.

Differential Standards

Councils are able to create different wards – such as countryside seats – without initially mandating a public vote. The disparate requirements placed on Indigenous representation indicated the government was targeting Māori representation.

“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have given the government a middle finger response.”

This remark referred to the 17 regions that voted to keep their wards.