Tony Vaughn: The Token Ward Fallacy - Race-Based Politics Masquerading as Progress

The current charade playing out in our local councils under the guise of "Maori wards" can be summed up as electoral apartheid. Dressed up in the language of representation and justice, this separatist experiment offends the very principles upon which our democracy is built. One person, one vote – that’s the cornerstone. Anything else is a perversion I reckon.

Let us first deal with the myth peddled by the well-meaning or equally the wilfully blind: that Maori wards are about correcting historic underrepresentation. Nonsense. Maori are already represented in councils. In fact, like every other citizen, they have the vote and the right to stand for election. The problem is not structural bias. The problem, bluntly put, is turnout and merit.