Maori people can continue to choose whether to enrol on the General or Maori electoral rolls and can be candidates for any seat, Maori or General. The 12 October 1996 election was the first election held under the new system. NZF won all five of the Maori electorate seats, four of which had been safe Labour seats for nearly 60 years. The number of Aborigines enrolled to vote is unknown. Distinct differences in culture and race-histories exist between the Australian Aborigines and the New Zealand Maori.
Parliamentary representation stands as a powerful symbol of both self-determination and inclusion.
Yet it may be the case that the electoral system is more relevant to selfdetermination than reserved seats. Given the much smaller Aboriginal population in Australia and the current electoral system, reserved seats in Parliament could be most significant as symbols. Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, op. cit. The New Zealand Royal Commission on the Electoral System, op.cit. Dr Ann Sullivan, University of Waikato, New Zealand, personal communication, April 1997.