Māori Wards

Council representation

In 2021 Government made changes to allow local councils to decide whether to have Māori wards within their district.

Community consultation on the matter by Hastings District Council resulted in 76 per cent of respondents voting in favour of Māori-specific representation. This was followed by a representation review that proposed Council be comprised of 12 people elected from five general wards and three elected from a Māori ward, alongside one mayor (elected at large).

On 14 October 2021, after hearing and considering submissions, Council resolved to confirm this proposal as its final representation arrangements for the 2022 local government election.

What are wards?

Broadly speaking, wards are a way of dividing the district for elections to enable communities of interest to elect representatives. Wards are the way a city, district or region is separated for voting purposes. They work in the same way as seats in a general election.

In the Hastings district, the wards are:

• Hastings/Havelock North General Ward
• Flaxmere General Ward
• Heretaunga General Ward
• Kahurānaki General Ward (rural)
• Mōhaka General Ward (rural)
• Takitimu Māori Ward

The general wards specific to rural voters and the Māori ward ensure representation for minorities that may otherwise not be represented on Council.

People only have one vote for a councillor, whether that be on the general or Māori ward, and one vote for mayor.

Although candidates stand for their ward, once voted on to Council, councillors swear an oath to work for the district as a whole.

What are Māori wards?

A Māori Ward is one way Council chooses to define a community of interest. Instead of grouping electors by geographic location like other wards, all electors who on the Māori electoral roll are able to vote in Māori wards. 

In Hastings we have one Māori ward called Takitimu. The Takitimu Māori ward covers the entire Hastings District and includes three councillors.

Māori ward(s) councillors are equal to general ward councillors, with all councillors having one vote at the council table.

Like the rural wards, which ensure the minority rural population has voices at the Council table, the Takitimu Māori ward allows all electors on the Māori roll to select their own Māori representatives in a democratic process.

Note, voters who choose to be on the Māori roll cannot also vote in the general wards.

Who can vote in the Māori wards?

• People on the Māori electoral roll can only vote for candidates standing in the Māori ward and for a mayor.
• People on the general electoral roll can only vote for candidates standing in the general ward and for a mayor.

 Standing for election to council (all wards)

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 for. Candidates in Māori wards do not need to be of Māori descent, but they do need to be on the parliamentary electoral roll, either the general or the Māori roll.

What does Te Tiriti o Waitangi require of councils in terms of Māori representation?

The principles of partnership, participation and protection underpin the relationship between Council and Māori under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Partnership involves working together with iwi, hapū, whānau and Māori communities to develop strategies and structure that ensure Māori involvement in decision-making.

Participation requires Māori to be involved at all levels of the local government sector, including decision-making, planning, development, and delivery of services.

Protection involves Council working to ensure Māori involvement in decision-making processes, and safeguarding Māori cultural concepts, values, and practices.

Local Government, including Hastings District Council, is legally obliged to provide an environment (through systems, structures, and services) that encourages and supports Māori to enter and participate in local governance processes.

The aim of Māori wards is to ensure Māori are represented in local government decision making.

What does the Local Government Act and other legislation require?

The Local Government Act (LGA) and other legislation determines how councils recognise and respect Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations. Specifically, the LGA requires councils to provide opportunities for Māori to contribute to the decision-making process and consider ways to enhance Māori capacity to contribute to decision-making.

The Local Electoral Act requires councils to enable fair and effective representation for individuals and communities. It is up to each council to choose the most appropriate and effective form of Māori representation for their population - considering the needs and preferences of their Māori partners and the wider community.

Simply, under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Local Government Act and other legislation, Councils are required to provide opportunities for Māori to contribute to decision-making processes, as well as other obligations. This is in recognition of Māori as tangata whenua (Indigenous people) of Aotearoa New Zealand and the Crown’s partner in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The future of Māori Wards in Hastings district

On 30 July 2024, Government enacted the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2024 (the Act). The Act requires councils like Hastings that established Māori wards after the law change of 2021 to either disestablish these wards or hold a binding poll at the same time as the 2025 local body elections.

At its full council meeting on Tuesday 27 August 2024, Hastings district councillors resolved to retain the Takitimu Māori ward, and hold a binding poll at the 2025 local elections, the results of which would take effect from the 2028 local elections. The results of the poll will be in place for two local body elections 2028 and 2031.

For further information, the amended Act can be found here on the NZ legislation website.