Dozens of local councils had until today to decide to either disestablish their Māori wards or keep them and hold a referendum on their future.
The vast majority have chosen the latter option.
And as their decisions trickled through over the past month, a common theme emerged – frustration with the Government for putting them in this situation.
What is that situation?
Forty-five councils have established or resolved to establish Māori wards since a law change in 2021 stripped a provision that had previously allowed communities to veto Māori wards in a vote.
But the National-led Government officially rolled back Labour’s changes this year, with a new law requiring those 45 councils to make decisions around their Māori wards.
Councils had until September 6 to decide whether to rescind or disestablish their Māori wards, or keep their Māori wards and hold a poll on their future at next year’s local elections.
If councils chose to keep the wards, they had to fund the referendum themselves.
It’s sparked outrage from the organisation representing local councils, as Political Editor Maiki Sherman explains. (Source: 1News)
An overwhelming sentiment
The affected councils have been holding a vote on the future of their Māori wards over the past month.
Most have chosen to keep them. Just two councils have decided to either disestablish their Māori wards or rescind their decision to establish them.
Kaipara District Council voted to disestablish its Māori ward amid heated protests last month, while Upper Hutt City Council rescinded a decision to establish them at next year’s local elections.
The Upper Hutt City Council vote was split six to five, with opponents saying going ahead with establishing the wards was “undemocratic” and “expensive”.
The Kaipara District Council Māori ward will remain until the next local election, when it will cease to exist. (Source: 1News)
Unanimous votes
Several councils reported unanimous votes in favour of keeping their Māori wards.
Whakatāne District Council was united in retaining its Māori wards, with Deputy Mayor Lesley Immink saying their Māori ward councillors brought “huge value” to decision-making.
The Porirua, South Taranaki, South Wairarapa, Hauraki, Stratford, Marlborough and Ruapehu Councils also all voted unanimously to keep their Māori wards.
South Taranaki mayor Phil Nixon said he was frustrated at having to revisit the issue.
“Our move to Māori wards has encouraged more Māori to participate in the governance of our district and means the council is more representative of our whole community,” he said.
Rangitīkei District Council unanimously voted to retain its two Māori wards, with Mayor Andy Watson saying it was in the community’s best interest.
“Māori representation at the council table is a positive thing and not something people should be frightened of,” he said.
Divided opinions
Not every council decision on the wards has been unanimous, however.
Wellington City Council held its vote on the issue yesterday, with three of its 16 councillors voting to disestablish its Māori wards.
In Rotorua, councillor Robert Lee was a lone vote against keeping its Māori wards.
In doing so, he quoted previous arguments made by Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell, who said three years ago that while “other councils need Māori wards … Rotorua is unique. Māori have been successful being elected”.
Tapsell voted against Māori wards then, but she voted to keep the wards this year.
Horowhenua District Council voted to keep its Māori ward in a split 11-2 decision, with Deputy Mayor David Allan asking why the Government had varying levels of trust in local councils.
The Government trusted councils to decide on community boards and their number of councillors, for example, he said.
“I therefore have to express my confusion as to why the Government shows no trust in local representatives on one issue, and one issue alone.”
Western Bay of Plenty Council, meanwhile, also voted 8 to 4 to keep its Māori ward.
Hobson’s Pledge spokesperson Don Brash was among the members of the public to speak ahead of that vote. He pointed to a poll that showed 78% of people were against Māori wards on the Western BOP Council.
“Dividing people on the basis of race is an abomination. We should be moving towards a country where every citizen has equal constitutional rights,” he said.
The vote was even closer in Central Hawke’s Bay, with their district council voting 5 to 4 to retain Māori wards yesterday.
Other councils who have voted to keep their Māori wards include: Hamilton, New Plymouth, Whangārei, Thames-Coromandel, Matamata-Piako, Gisborne, Masterton, Tararua, Ōtorohanga, Taupō, Kawerau, Napier, and Tasman.
Meanwhile, some councils have left it until the last minute to decide on their wards, with Far North District Council and Hutt City Council both holding meetings on the matter today.
The Government wants to restore the right to local referendums for introducing Māori council wards. (Source: 1News)
Anger at the Government
Many councils have used their votes on Māori wards to express their anger and frustration with the process, especially around having to pay for a referendum at next year’s local elections.
Whanganui District councillors held a protest vote after confirming they wanted to introduce a Māori ward. The protest vote was rejecting a notion that a binding poll needed to be held on keeping the seats beyond 2028.
“We’re saying we don’t want to send it to a referendum,” councillor Ross Fallen said.
In South Wairarapa, councillor Rebecca Gray used the vote to “level the harshest possible criticism I can to our central government for putting us in this position”.
Deputy Mayor Melissa Sadler-Futter said if people were unhappy with the cost of running the poll on the Māori wards, they should “be cross at the right people, and be cross at the central government”.
Meanwhile, Waipā Mayor Susan O’Regan said she resented the council having to hold a binding referendum when 73% of submitters on their original Māori wards decision had been in favour of creating them.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker also said it was “unfortunate” to have to pay for a poll for Māori wards that were working effectively in her area.
A referendum revolt?
Some councils have gone further, saying they would investigate the implications of refusing to hold a binding referendum on their Māori wards.
Palmerston North City Council said last month it would present a report on that matter at an upcoming council meeting. A council spokesperson told 1News yesterday there was no update on that report yet.
Whakatāne District Councillor Nandor Tanczos also urged his council to seek similar legal advice around not holding the referendum, which they agreed to do.
“It seems to me that there will be a number of councils that might want to protest this legislation and that would be one way of doing it,” he said last month.
Whakatāne District Council said yesterday it had sought legal advice and was still awaiting that.
RNZ reported 83.5% of councils at a recent Local Government New Zealand annual general meeting supported a remit opposing the requirement to hold a binding poll on the wards.
Minister for Local Government Simeon Brown told 1News yesterday that the Government was “committed to restoring democracy in local government”.
“We have progressed that with the restoration of the right to local referendums on Māori wards. This is a commitment under both the ACT and NZ First coalition agreements,” he said.
“We are simply returning the law to what Helen Clark put in place back in 2001. We welcome the public being able to have their say on whether or not these wards should continue at the referendum which will take place at next year’s local elections.”
