Māori Wards Referendum

Residents are not going to support the on-going Thames Coromandel Māori Ward in the coming referendum later this year, this evident in the recent Curia Survey, conducted for CFM.

Of the 500 people polled earlier this month, 76 percent were either against or unsure about retaining the new ward.

This was broken down as 48 percent against, with 28 percent still undecided. The survey revealed 24 percent will be voting for the Māori Ward retention.

New legislation from central government requires all councils that have decided to establish Māori wards since 2020 to reaffirm that decision and to conduct a referendum on the issue at the next local body elections in 2025.

As Thames Coromandel District Council had decided to add a Māori ward in September 2023, a second vote was required and this reaffirmed the decision at a Council meeting in September 2024. Hauraki District Council reaffirmed its decision a month earlier.

These decisions for a Māori Ward, triggered a need for a referendum during the 2025 elections.

If the majority do not support this council decision then the ward will be removed effective at the start of the next council election cycle in 2028. Subsequently, the central government mandated this referendum with the elections this year, with results effective from the next triennium. With 48% opposition in the poll, the ward is likely to cease after the 2025-2028 term.

Coromandel’s CFM is providing comprehensive election coverage, featuring live streams of meet-the-candidate sessions and in-depth candidate statements. A new fact-checking service will also debut, ensuring voters receive accurate information ahead of the October vote.