Māori wards and constituencies
[4] Consequently, attempts to introduce Māori wards and constituencies were defeated at several polls in New Plymouth, Palmerston North, the Western Bay of Plenty, Whakatāne, Manawatu, and Kaikōura.
[12] In late November 2023, the Sixth National Government pledged to "restore the right of local referendum on the establishment or ongoing use of Māori wards.
"[13][14][15][16] On 30 July 2024, the Sixth National Government passed a bill that reinstated the previous provisions requiring local referendums on the establishment or ongoing use of Māori wards.
[17][18] Councils that had already established a Māori ward without a referendum will be required to hold a binding poll alongside the 2025 local elections or to disestablish them.
If a petition signed by 5 percent of the electors of the city, district or region was presented to the council, the poll must be held within 89 days.
The result of the poll was binding for two local body elections, after which the council could choose to retain the status quo or adopt another change.
[4][24] Māori wards and constituencies have proved contentious, as the poll provision (outlined above) has frequently overturned councils' decisions.
[27][28]) In 2006, the National Party MP for Bay of Plenty, Tony Ryall (who had been Minister of Local Government for six months in 1998–1999), moved a private member's bill seeking the repeal of both pieces of Māori ward legislation, arguing that, since the opt-in provisions in the Local Electoral Act 2001 had not been used in four years, the wards were "unused... antiquated... not necessary [and] divisive."
In October 2011, the Waikato Regional Council voted 14–2 to establish two Māori seats in preparation for the 2013 local body elections.
[41][42][43][44][45] In response, the lobby group Hobson's Pledge (fronted by former National Party and ACT New Zealand leader Don Brash) organised several petitions calling for local referendums on the matter of introducing Māori wards and constituencies, taking advantage of the poll provision.
[47][48][49] Each poll failed; Māori wards were rejected by voters in Palmerston North (68.8%), Western Bay of Plenty (78.2%), Whakatāne (56.4%), Manawatu (77%), and Kaikōura (55%) on 19 May 2018.
[50][51] By contrast, the referendum results were met with dismay by Whakatāne Mayor Tony Bonne and several Māori leaders including Labour MPs Willie Jackson and Tāmati Coffey, former Māori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell, Bay of Plenty resident and activist Toni Boynton, and left-wing advocacy group ActionStation national director Laura O'Connell Rapira.
[81][82][83] On 28 April 2022, Coffey and the Rotorua Lakes Council agreed to "pause" the bill's select committee process in order to address the legal issues raised by the Attorney General.
[84][85] Following the 2022 New Zealand local elections, the Rotorua Lakes Council with the exception of Māori ward councillors Rawiri Waru and Trevor Maxwell voted to withdraw its support for the bill in February 2023.
[88] The bill proposes adding two seats for Māori tribal Ngāi Tahu representatives to the Environment Canterbury, boosting the body's membership to 16 members.
The bill's passage was welcomed by the Labour Party and Ngāi Tahu representatives including Tipene O'Regan as a means of ensuring Māori representation at the local government level and upholding the partnership aspects of the Treaty of Waitangi.
[92] In late November 2023, the Sixth National Government pledged to "restore the right of local referendum on the establishment or ongoing use of Māori wards.
Brown also announced that the government would introduce legislation restoring the right to referendums on Māori wards by the end of July 2024.
Tauranga has the option of reversing its decision to establish Māori wards or holding a poll during the 2024–2028 term, with the outcome taking effect after the 2028 local elections.
While National, ACT and NZ First supported the bill as part of their coalition agreements, it was opposed by the Labour, Green, and Māori parties.
[97] The Kaipara District Council voted to disestablish its Māori ward, which had been introduced during the 2022 New Zealand local elections, without holding a binding poll.
[98] The Kaipara Council's disestablishment of its Māori ward was subject of a legal challenge in the Auckland High Court mounted by Ngāti Whātua.
[101][102][103][104] During the annual LGNZ conference held on 21 August 2024, the PNCC and Far North District Council submitted a remit challenging the Government's poll requirement for Māori wards.
In addition, the Northland Regional Council introduced a remit calling for a 75% majority vote for any changes to the Local Election Act affecting Māori wards.
[105] According to the Otago Daily Times, 83.5% of local councils at the LGNZ conference supported the remit opposing the poll requirement for Māori wards and constituencies.
