Local government push-back on Maori ward law change

A whopping 83.5 percent of local councils have voted to push back against newly-passed government legislation which forces councils to hold a public poll (referendum) at the 2025 election if they want to retain or introduce a Maori ward.

South Wairarapa District council agreed in  2023 to introduce a Maori ward _ before the new legislation which now requires a costly poll on the issue at the next election.

In 2021 the then-government changed to law to eliminate binding polls on such wards _  before the change, a poll could be requested by five percent of voters. 

The Local Government NZ AGM saw an historic push-back against the new law _ led by Palmerston North City Council _ that forces councils to hold a public poll at the next local election if they wish to keep or introduce a Māori ward.

The Palmerston North remit said Maori wards and constituencies should not be subject to compulsory polling. It gained 83.5% support. 

Palmerston North has voted to keep its Māori ward for the next elections and to investigate the legal ramifications of not polling its people. Whakatāne district councillor Nandor Tanczos has asked his council to seek legal advice on refusing the Government’s new Māori ward polling requirement.

Since the August 1 law change, nine councils have so far decided to retain their Māori wards for the 2025 local elections. 

At least two have reversed their introduction of a Maori ward _ and 45 councils, including SWDC, must decide what to do before September 6. 

To date SWDC has confirmed it will retain ints newly-minted and historic Maori ward.   

Local Government Minister Simeon Brown previously said the government’s changes were about “restoring democracy.” Brown said it should be up to communities to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.

A push at the conference to require a 75 percent vote to overturn a Maori ward was rejected by 50.6% against, 40.58% for. The rest abstained.