Should local councils be required to hold a public referendum before establishing dedicated Māori wards?

Māori wards are designated seats on local councils elected only by voters on the Māori electoral roll. Legislation has fluctuated between allowing councils to establish them unilaterally and requiring binding public polls. Supporters argue these wards guarantee partnership and representation under the Treaty of Waitangi. Opponents view them as undemocratic separatism that divides citizens by ancestry.