42 councils have held referendums on Māori wards - 17 areas have voted to keep them, while 25 have voted to remove.

The wards have been a flashpoint for debate - there were protesters in Kaipara last year when council voted to remove it.

Te Pāti Māori has described the decision to remove the wards as “racist, targeted attack on Māori, for being Māori” and that it's "an assault on Te Tiriti"

Last year, David Seymour said he'd vote against keeping Maori wards if his council held a referendum - on the basis that New Zealand is made up of people from all walks of life.

He speaks to Tim Beveridge...

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