The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Government’s bid to treat Māori wards different to other wards.

“Local government minister Simeon Brown was told by the public, and by councils themselves that there was no interest in removing Māori wards from local government, yet he ploughed on with no reason other than a racist agenda. And if they don’t like being called racist then it’s pretty simple – don’t make harder rules just for Māori,” Labour local government spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said.

“The passing of Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill means that councils, which are already financially stretched after the Government scrapped the Affordable Water Reforms and dismissed recommendations from the Future of Local Government Review, must foot the bill of costly referendums.

“Everywhere you look the Government is making decisions that will hit ratepayers in the back pocket. Rates are shaping up to be biggest issue facing households, but instead of doing something about it National uses all its energy to shift the blame to Councils and have a crack at Māori instead. Simeon Brown’s attempt to create a distraction through this racially charged bill has backfired and local government has shown New Zealand it wishes to keep democratically elected Māori councillors.

“Simeon Brown continues to insist he is ‘restoring democracy’ which is plain wrong. If the Government were truly concerned about ‘one person one vote’ it would change the rules so that people who own multiple homes don’t get to vote more than once, but it's not. Or it would require a referendum on all types of wards. All it's focused on is having a go at Māori.

“This Bill has shown this government’s true self and true agenda, but so far forty-three councils have said no to Simeon Brown and his deliberate moves to divide and distract our country.

“It’s time for this Government to save itself the humiliation and get in touch with 2024,” Kieran McAnulty said.