It will next go to Parliament for further debate before becoming law, which is expected around July. Councils then have until September to make their Māori ward decisions.

The report supported the polling push for councils wanting to keep or bring in Māori wards for 2025′s local elections.

Councils that decide to remove their Māori wards before then will not have to poll their people over this action.

Te Kahu o Taonui (Northland Iwi Chairs Forum) co-chairman Aperahama Kerepeti-Edwards said he was disappointed in the select committee supporting the Government’s discriminatory legislation on Māori wards.

“We are appalled with the belligerent move to exclude the important voice of Māori in local government,” Edwards said.

Far North District Council

Far North District Council (FNDC) Mayor Moko Tepania, who is also Local Government New Zealand’s Northland board member, said the select committee’s report was sad for the councils across Aotearoa that had established Māori wards.

Tepania said the report was also disheartening for the Far North “after we fought so hard to establish the ward”.