Māori Ward

Changes to the Local Electoral Act (2001) in 2021 removed the requirement for binding polls for Māori wards. This change provided Masterton District Council (MDC) with an opportunity to make decisions on Māori wards in the same manner as other representation arrangements (such as a rural or general ward).

In consultation with iwi, council decided to adopt a Māori ward for the 2022 and 2025 elections in May 2021.

In April 2024, the Minister of Local Government announced changes to the legislation. These changes now require councils with established Māori wards to hold a poll on whether they should remain. Councils can also resolve to disestablish the Māori ward without a poll.

Following the legislative changes in July 2024, Council decided to retain a Māori ward for the 2025 election and to hold a poll alongside the election. In making this decision council engaged with the governance members of the four local iwi entities (Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua Settlement Trust, Rangitāne o Wairarapa, and Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā Trust).

Wards are areas of a district (or city) identified for electoral purposes. They work in the same way as seats in a general election.

In Masterton we have two wards, the Whakaoriori Masterton General Ward and the Whakaoriori Masterton Māori Ward.

What is a Māori ward?

Māori wards provide one way for Māori to have a voice and be represented in local government decision-making. They are similar to a general, urban or rural ward and are reflective of the community in that ward.

Māori wards establish areas where only those on the Māori electoral roll vote for the candidates in that ward.

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.

You can vote in a Māori ward if you are on the Māori electoral roll. Only New Zealand Māori and the descendants of New Zealand Māori can choose to be on the Māori electoral roll.

For those who are enrolling for the first time, they can choose if they want to be on the Māori electoral roll or the general electoral roll.

You can change your roll type at any time, except:

• in the three months before a general parliamentary or local government election
• before a parliamentary by-election if the change would move you into the electorate where the by-election is being held.
• a New Zealand citizen (by birth or citizenship ceremony)
• 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.

The requirements to stand for Council are the same regardless of if you stand for a Māori ward, or general ward. To be eligible to stand for election, a candidate must be:

How many people in Masterton identify as Māori?

22.6% of people in Masterton identify as Māori. This is higher than national (17.8%) and regional (15.5% Wellington Region) population statistics.

At 30 June 2024, there were 18,790 electors on the general electoral roll and 1,825 electors on the Māori electoral roll for Masterton District.

Māori wards are a mechanism through which councils can both achieve better representation of Māori members of their communities in council decision-making, and ensure Māori issues are more visible within council thinking and processes.

Māori wards are one way for councils to honour the principles of partnership committed to in the Treaty of Waitangi/ Te Tiriti o Waitangi because they guarantee that Māori will be represented at council.

Has the legislation changed anything else for Māori representation?

No, the legislation has not changed councils’ ability to have other arrangements (such as iwi representatives).

MDC has had two appointed iwi representatives since 2016. At Council meetings, iwi representatives have speaking rights but not voting rights and voting rights at committee meetings. The iwi appointments represent our two iwi: Rangitāne and Ngāti Kahungunu and act as a conduit for iwi and Council.

There are 45 councils that have resolved to establish Māori wards since 2021.

In the Wellington Region, Porirua City Council, Wellington City Council, Hutt City Council, South Wairarapa District Council, Upper Hutt City Council, Wellington Regional Council, and Kapiti Coast District Council have either established Māori wards or have resolved to establish Māori wards for the 2025 local elections.

An initial estimate is that a poll, run alongside the 2025 elections, will cost $35,000.

If you are registered on the Māori or General electoral roll you will be eligible to vote on the poll.

The poll will be run alongside the 2025 local elections, akin to other referendums (for example the flag referendum in the central government election).

Further information will be available closer to the time of the 2025 local elections.

If the 2025 poll result is in favour of Māori wards, these would remain in place for the 2028 and 2031 local elections. If the poll result is against Māori wards, then the Māori ward(s) would be disestablished for the 2028 and 2031 local elections.