Māori wards feedback

They are a way to ensure Māori are represented in local government decision-making, similar to the dedicated electorate seats in Parliament. Successful Māori ward candidates become councillors and have a particular responsibility to represent people of Māori descent to bring forward their views and aspirations. However, they also represent the entire community.

Similar to the Māori Parliamentary seats, Māori wards establish areas where only those on the Māori parliamentary electoral roll vote for the candidates in that ward. The Māori wards sit alongside the general wards of each city or district.

“Wards” are the parts of a council area that have been determined by population and communities of interest. 

The option was originally developed by Parliament to enhance the role of Māori in local government. One of the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 is for the council to establish and maintain processes that provide opportunities for Māori to contribute to decision-making.

Currently, Parliament is reviewing the Local Government Electoral Legislation Bill and a key element in this Bill requires councils that do not have Māori wards to decide whether to have “specific Māori representation”. A decision on this is required by 23 November 2023.

No.

Māori ward councillors have the same responsibilities as other councillors under various pieces of legislation to engage Māori in decision-making processes.

They are not a substitute for Māori individuals, whānau, hapū, iwi, tangata whenua, mana whenua, ecetera, regarding the council’s obligations to consult and engage with Māori.

However, Māori wards are intended to represent the importance of the Māori community voice, to provide assurance that issues important to Māori can be more directly brought to the council. Their role is to promote confidence in local government decision-making processes, knowing that where there is a distinctive Māori perspective related to a matter, someone will be able to interpret and weigh up the associated issues.

Māori wards are a way of ensuring Māori voices in the community are heard where otherwise representation would be hard to achieve.

The representation review process determines how the council is made up, including:

•             The number of councillors to be elected

•             The basis of election for councillors (wards, boundaries and names of those wards)

•             Whether there are to be community boards in the district, where they might be, and what their membership arrangements are.

People enrolled on the Māori electoral roll for the area can vote for candidates standing in their Māori ward.  Electors on the Māori electoral roll can only vote for candidates from a Māori ward.  Electors on the general electoral roll can only vote for candidates from a general ward.

People vote either in a Māori ward or a general ward – plus a vote for the mayor.

If you are of Māori descent, you can enrol in either the general or Māori electoral rolls.  If you are not of Māori descent you can only enrol on the General Electoral roll. You can find more information about the Māori Electoral Option on the Electoral Commission’s website: www.vote.nz

To be eligible to stand for election, a candidate must be:

• A New Zealand citizen (by birth or citizenship ceremony); and
• Enrolled as a Parliamentary elector (anywhere in New Zealand); and
• Nominated by two electors whose names appear on the electoral roll within the ward a candidate is standing. Candidates in Māori wards do not need to be of Māori descent, however they need to be nominated by two people on the Māori electoral roll. 

Candidates cannot stand for both a general ward and a Māori ward at the same time.

The number of councillors elected from one or more Māori wards depends on a formula (Schedule 1A of the Local Electoral Act 2001) based on the Māori and general electoral populations of the district, relative to the total number of councillors.

For the Whanganui District Council, the Māori electoral population is 8,910 and the general electoral population is 39,800 (as at the 2018 census).

Assuming a total of 12 councillors (plus mayor) remain for Whanganui, the formula when calculated would currently require two councillors elected from one or more Māori wards and ten councillors elected from one or more general wards.

There will be no additional costs attributed to having Māori ward councillors elected to the council.

Māori wards is optional.  The council may resolve to introduce Māori wards. If it decides to introduce Māori wards in time for the 2025 elections, it must do so no later than 23 November 2023 (two years prior to the next triennial election).

1. To establish Māori wards.
2. Not to establish Māori wards.