Political scientist Lara Greaves says confusion over the Māori roll is growing as electoral boundary changes are announced.
The Representation Commission proposes shifting boundaries, with Ikaroa-Rāwhiti expanding into Lower Hutt and Te Tai Tonga losing voters due to population decline.
Greaves says the commission uses Census Day data to set boundaries, but holding a Census and Election in the same year has caused confusion.
“All of the kind of movement in the Māori roll that we saw last year, you know, the Toitū Te Tiriti, all those different campaigns and discussions about, oh, should we go on the Māori role, that kind of thing, those numbers won’t filter through until the next representation commission in five years time from now,” says Greaves.
Greaves warns this also impacts Māori ward numbers on councils, which will be up for referendum in this year’s local elections.
