Government orders referenda on Māori wards, sparking ‘racism’ allegations
Tuesday, 30 July 2024
Councils across the country will be required to hold a binding referendum on the continuation of Māori wards at next year’s elections.
The Government is forcing referendums on the existence of Māori wards, passing legislation on Tuesday afternoon to repeal law that made it easier for councils to establish Māori wards.
The coalition Government’s Māori wards bill proved to be another lightning rod issue for Crown-Māori relations, with Opposition parties slamming it as “racist”, “anti-Māori” and “a stain on the Parliament”.
While the Government heralded the passing of its Māori wards bill as a good day for democracy.
Debate about Māori rights is set to intensify in the months ahead, with Parliament expecting to debate the role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi - through ACT leader David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill - later this year.
Why it matters
Many councils set up Māori wards since 2020. Those that did must either close those wards or hold referendums at their own expense.
Councils, such as the South Wairarapa District Council, say holding referendum is a waste of time and money - money they don’t have. The referendum was expected to cost $35,000 next year.
Proponents of Māori wards said it ensured councils were representative of the constituency, but critics, such as local government minister Simeon Brown, said it was “anti-democratic” to prohibit referendums for those positions.
The arguments
Labour local Government spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said the Government was applying double standards, leaving Māori worse off - while not addressing, for instance, why landowners often had multiple votes at local body elections.
He said it was shameful for the Government to put Māori wards to referendum, but ignore other demographic wards such as rural wards.
“The only difference is race, and that is disgraceful,” he said.
Brown said protections for Māori wards had been “divisive”.
“They took away the voices of local communities across the country and undermined the principles of democracy,” he said.
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon called the Māori wards bill “retrograde and racist”, echoing concerns from Labour leader Chris Hipkins.
He said the bill was “a stain on New Zealand’s Parliament”.
“This is the first Government in a generation that is proudly boasting about reintroducing discrimination against Māori, and it is a shameful day,” he said.
Te Pāti Maori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said the bill showed an “anti-Māori strategy”.
She pointed to other policies, such as a changes to remove Treaty obligations from Oranga Tamariki and moves to make it harder for Māori to claim customary marine title, as proof of that “agenda”.
The history
Ahead of the 2022 council elections, the Labour Government made legislative change so it would be easier for councils to establish Māori wards.
The change meant that councillors decisions whether to establish a Māori ward would be final, and it would not require referendum to continue.
More upcoming issues
The Government is set to introduce legislation to make it harder for Māori to claim customary title to the foreshore and seabed. Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith confirmed plans, last week, to amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act.
The Government was also expected to consider, later this year, major reform of Treaty law. ACT leader David Seymour is set to introduce the Treaty Principles Bill, which would significantly redefine the purpose of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.