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New Zealand is in countdown to a general election on September 23, and indigenous Māori voters have a choice between voting for candidates in a general electorate or one of seven Māori ones. Under New Zealand’s mixed-member proportional system, everybody has the same party vote, but Māori can join the Māori electoral roll and vote for different candidates.
Established 150 years ago to quell Māori aspirations for self-governance, the Māori electorates have a debated history. There have been frequent calls to abolish them, but Rawiri Taonui argues they play a vital role in giving indigenous issues a voice.
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Following the last elections in 2014, New Zealand’s parliament had 26 Māori MPs spread across five political parties.
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Rawiri Taonui, Massey University
As New Zealand heads into a general election in less than three weeks, its seven Māori seats are a focus of debate.
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