Northland leaders say Maori seats in Parliament are crucial in giving Maori a strong voice.
The debate has re-emerged after New Zealand First leader and Northland MP Winston Peters announced if his party is in Government a binding referendum will be held to ask if Maori seats should be abolished, and if Parliament should be reduced to 100 MPs.
However, Kelvin Davis, MP for Te Tai Tokerau - one of seven Maori seats, said Maori seats allowed Maori electorate MPs to be more outspoken than list or general MPs who were Maori.
"If the Maori seats went, we'd have one homogenised New Zealand voice where Maori issues are totally mixed up and lost in the clamour there. While we still have Maori seats we still have Maori there speaking unashamedly about Maori issues," he said.
Four Maori seats were established in 1867 to give Maori a say in Parliament.