Vote to keep protecting the voices of tangata whenua. Vote to keep partnership, progress, people and communities. 

Māori wards give tangata whenua a guaranteed seat at the table in local government. A voice in decisions that impact their whenua, whānau and their future. The government is forcing areas with Māori wards to run referendum on whether to keep these going going forward

These referendums are a direct threat to tino rangatiratanga. We need to keep Māori Wards. 

Keeping Māori wards benefits us all.
Strong, inclusive representation makes better decisions that reflect the needs of the whole community, not just some. 

Māori wards are about fairness and representation. They ensure tangata whenua have a voice in local decisions that impact their whenua, whānau, hāpori and their futures.

Māori wards are about honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and creating space for representation that reflects our communities and people here in Aotearoa. Māori have been under represented in local government for generations. Having Māori wards helps to rebalance and provide equity so that their voices are involved in decisions that will impact them. This isn’t about division, it’s about inclusions, partnership and justice. 

Māori Wards that are going to referendum:

FAQ

Can only people on the Māori roll vote to keep Māori wards?

No. Everyone enrolled in the area gets to vote in the referendum, whether you’re on the Māori roll or general roll.

Why are some people talking about a poll and other people talking about a referendum?

Technically, this is called a binding poll under the Local Electoral Act. But because it’s a public vote on a single, specific issue, people are calling it a referendum. 

The bottom line is that we’re being asked to vote yes or no on whether to keep or remove Māori wards. Whatever the wording, the outcome matters.

Wasn’t there a law passed recently about Māori wards? Why are we voting again?

Yes in 2021, the Government removed the ability to force a public vote (poll) on Māori wards. This allowed councils to establish them without being overturned by a small group of voters. But in 2024 the National/Act/NZ First Coalition Government reversed that and now councils that have created Māori wards are being forced into holding binding polls on whether to keep them or not. That’s why it is important for us to vote and defend Māori wards.