🔗 Share this article Reserved Māori Seats on New Zealand Councils to Be Slashed by More Than Half The count of reserved seats for Māori representatives on NZ councils will be cut by more than half, after a controversial law change that required local governments to submit the fate of hard-earned Indigenous wards to a popular referendum. Background Information on Māori Wards Indigenous electoral districts, which can include one or more councillors depending on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to provide Māori electors the choice to vote for a assured Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Initially, local governments could only create a Māori ward by first putting it to a community referendum in their region. Local populations often spent years generating community backing and pushing their councils to create Māori wards. Legislative Shifts and Government Actions To remedy the issue, the former administration allowed municipal authorities to set up a Indigenous seat without initially mandating them to subject it to a popular ballot. But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, stating local residents ought to determine whether to introduce Indigenous representation. Voting Outcomes The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had created a ward under Labour’s rules to conduct decisive public votes concurrently with the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils taking part in the referendum, 17 decided to retain their seats, and twenty-five to abolish theirs – revealing numerous areas against reserved Indigenous seats. These outcomes represented “a crucial move in restoring local democratic control.” Critics nevertheless have condemned the government’s law change as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. After assuming power, the coalition government has implemented extensive reversals to policies designed to improve Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has said it wants to terminate “race-based” approaches, and says it is dedicated to improving outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders. Geographical Splits The results of the public votes were split down urban-rural lines – six of the seven urban centers mandated to hold referendums supported Māori wards, while countryside areas leaned strongly towards removing them. “It’s a real shame for the Indigenous seats that had only just come in – they’re just beginning to hit their stride.” Electoral Participation and Criticism The recent local government elections recorded the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with less than a third of citizens casting a vote, leading to demands for reform. This approach had been “a mockery”. Differential Standards Local governments are permitted to establish other types of wards – including rural wards – without initially mandating a community ballot. The disparate requirements placed on Indigenous representation suggested the government was targeting Indigenous inclusion. “Well, they failed. Many communities have expressed strong opposition.” This statement referred to the 17 areas that voted to keep their seats.