Wairarapa's Māori Wards: Keep Or Remove?

Thursday, 18 September 2025, 2:55 pm
Article: Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter

As part of the local elections, voters in Masterton, South Wairarapa, and Greater Wellington are being asked whether they want to keep or remove their council’s Māori ward or constituency. 

For South Wairarapa and Greater Wellington Regional Council voters, this will be the first council term of the ward in action, and for Masterton, it will be the second. 

Depending on who you ask, the answer to the binding poll is simple - or very complex. 

In a survey of local candidates, those in favour of keeping the ward were loud and proud. 

Within hours of posing the question via email to 40 candidates, 21 replied “keep”, one replied “remove” and a few replied along the lines of “it’s complicated”. 

Many didn’t respond at all. 

How is representation decided? 

Under the Local Electoral Act, councils are required to review representation arrangements at least once every six years. 

Councils present their proposals to the community about whether councillors are elected from wards, “at large” across the whole district, or a mix of both.

In Masterton, these representation arrangements have previously included urban and rural wards, and in South Wairarapa, they include Greytown, Martinborough, and Featherston wards, as well as community boards for each town. 

If there is community opposition to the final proposal, people can appeal to the Local Government Commission, which then makes a decision. 

Prior to February 2021, Māori wards could be created via a binding poll if a petition of at least 5% of the people on the council’s electoral roll requested it, or if the council requested it. 

They could also be established via a majority council vote, but this decision could be overturned with a binding poll if requested via petition. 

Over two decades, 24 councils attempted to create Māori wards under the Local Electoral Act 2001, with only two decisions surviving. 

That all changed when the Labour Government, in 2021, removed the requirement for a binding poll to establish a Māori ward or overturn a council resolution. 

This resulted in the establishment of Māori wards becoming uncontestable council decisions that sat outside of the usual representation review process. 

Masterton District Council voted to establish its Māori ward in May, 2021 and South Wairarapa voted to establish its Māori ward in November 2023. 

The number of Māori ward seats were based on the number of councillor positions available (other than the mayor), and the proportion of those on the Māori roll compared to the general roll, per council area. 

Both councils held representation reviews after their decisions to determine how the rest of the council would look, but not to determine whether the Māori ward had wider community support. 

That was because the decision had already been locked in. 

Why is there contention? 

Māori wards being established by a council decision, rather than via the representation review process, prompted the current Government's shift in policy. 

The Coalition Government requires affected councils to hold a binding poll at this election if they established Māori wards from 2021 onwards.

Forty-two councils are holding binding polls this year. Of the overwhelming number of local council candidates who responded in favour of keeping the Māori ward, the answer was simple. 

“No stress, vote yes,” South Wairarapa District Council Greytown candidate Simone Baker said. 

She said the Māori ward inspired Māori participation, boosted diversity and helped honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 

Masterton District Council mayoral and Māori ward candidate Waireka Collings said there had been historically low Māori representation on the council and the Māori ward ensured diverse perspectives, representation, and equity. 

Other candidates said the wards ensured Māori voices were represented at the council table and it also honoured Te Tiriti o Waitangi’s principle of partnership. 

Supporters say tools such as Māori seats, or voting rights on council committees and sub-committees, are one way of working toward tino rangatiratanga. 

Masterton District Council at large candidates David Holmes and Jamie Falloon were the only people to respond that they supported the removal of the ward. 

“I live in a country where we are all New Zealanders,” Holmes said. 

“I’m in the opinion that any person could have a seat on council no matter what ethnicity or ability.”

Meanwhile, Falloon said the ward system disenfranchised all voters because it reduced the number of councillors those on the Māori roll could vote for. 

In Masterton, those on the Māori roll can elect four councillors (one Māori ward and three at large ward), and the mayor. 

In comparison, those on the general roll can vote for seven councillors (four general ward and three at large ward), and the mayor.

“That is not fair and is a system that doesn't work and needs to be changed,” he said. 

“I support and encourage iwi involvement in decision-making and will act with fairness and equity to all ratepayers if I am elected.” 

Alistair Plimmer, who is a two-term South Wairarapa councillor and is running for the Greater Wellington Regional Council, said it was “not a simple yes or no answer to a loaded question”.

“I voted against it in South Wairarapa District Council because the process that the council stated to the public we would follow was not followed and the public was denied an opportunity to voice their views. 

“That process has also occurred in many other local authorities and I believe this has led directly to where we are today. 

“The public now have the opportunity to have their voice heard and I support that process totally.”

Greytown ward candidate Martin Bosley and Masterton mayoral candidate Bex Johnson also agreed it was not a simple question with a simple answer and that they supported the decision being made by the community via the referendum. 

They both supported Māori representation in local government.

Key dates 

The last day for posting votes by mail is October 7. 

After this date votes must be returned to council’s secure ballot boxes. 

Voting closes at 12 noon on October 11. 

Progress results will be made available from noon and official results would be declared between October 16-22. 

The results of the poll will be binding for representation arrangements in the 2028 and 2031 elections. 

For the record 

The following council candidates wished to record their support for keeping Māori wards in their district: Gail Marshall, Karen Coltman, Jo Hayes, Hayden Mischefski, Leah Hawkins, Colin Olds, Rupert Watson, Pip Maynard, Chris Archer, Tony Hargood, Andrea AJ Jackson, Henriette Nagel, Adrienne Staples, Andrea Rutene, Fran Wilde, Waireka Collings, Simone Baker, Rachel Clarke, Stella Lennox, Gary Caffell, Rob Taylor, Chris Peterson. 

-LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

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