Auckland Council rejects Māori wards for 2025 local elections

Auckland Council has voted against establishing a Māori ward for the 2025 local body elections.

It will be able to revisit the decision in 2028.

Māori wards are designated seats on councils that are elected by and directly accountable to voters on the Māori electoral roll.

A recent law-change which removed the 20-person limit on Auckland Council's governing body allowed councillors to consider them for the first time.

The governing body has today voted to reject an amendment by Manukau Councillor Alf Filipaina 11 votes to 9.

Auckland’s first wahine Māori councillor Kerrin Leoni called the decision a "sad day for Māori" and said the discussion on Māori representation had gone on for too long.

It follows two months of consultation. and over 11,000 submissions, mostly from non-Māori who overwhelmingly opposed the idea.

Nearly 70% of submissions from non-Māori (68%) rejected the Māori wards proposal.

Over half (54%) of the 1300 Māori respondents supported them and almost all (87%) of the 17 Māori organisations who gave feedback, including Te Whānau o Waipareira, agreed.

There was concerted effort by right-wing lobby group Hobson's Pledge to sway the vote against Māori wards.

More on this topic

Submissions low on introducing dedicated Māori seats to Auckland Council

As of last week fewer than 10,000 submissions had been received.

Te Ao Māori

September 20, 2023

Waitomo District Council votes not to introduce Māori wards

Mayor John Robertson said Māori wards could place limits on democratic choice and may only give the perception of increased representation.

Te Ao Māori

October 23, 2023

The group sent over 1200 emails to councillors expressing their opposition.

Auckland Council already has a form of Māori representation in the form of the independent Māori statutory board but its members can only make decisions at a committee level, not at the governing body level.