---
title: "PF100 · Captured AI answers"
publisher: "Onsomble Limited"
publication: "NZBrands.ai"
edition: 1
collected_on: "2026-10-05"
html_url: "https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/8c5c1733-66f8-40a9-bf0e-61be2b4fc65f/"
---

# PF100 · Captured AI answers

Edition 1 · answers collected 5 October 2026.

[Read on NZBrands.ai](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/8c5c1733-66f8-40a9-bf0e-61be2b4fc65f/)

## Question

I'm a Māori parent in a working household. I want to compare household costs and local services, and I also care about Te Tiriti and Māori participation in decisions. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties differ on Te Tiriti obligations and Māori participation in public decisions?

Question ID: 8c5c1733-66f8-40a9-bf0e-61be2b4fc65f. Report reference: PF100.

Issue: Te Tiriti and Māori-Crown relations. Voter: Māori whānau balancing costs, services and Treaty questions.

[Source record (JSON)](https://nzbrands.ai/data/nz-election-2026/editions/1/answers/8c5c1733-66f8-40a9-bf0e-61be2b4fc65f.json)

## How to read this evidence

The answers below are shown as the assistants gave them, not a verified account or NZBrands.ai voting advice. They may contain errors or outdated claims. A recorded source association is not necessarily a link shown to the reader.

Captured 5 October 2026. 4 answers were saved for this question. Missing answers have not been filled in.

[Study methodology and limitations](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/method.md)

## ChatGPT · asked nationally

Answer ID: ae0dce7b-3d02-4984-b596-d7044b08950d. Captured 5 October 2026.

**Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified**

For the **7 November 2026 New Zealand general election**, the clearest divide is not simply “pro- or anti-Māori policy.” It is about **what Te Tiriti means constitutionally, whether Māori should have distinct decision-making authority, and how much legal force Treaty obligations should have over governments and councils**. [Proposed changes to Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi provisions - New Zealand Parliament](https://www3.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/committees-press-releases/proposed-changes-to-tiriti-o-waitangitreaty-of-waitangi-provisions/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

### The broad positions

| Party | Te Tiriti / Treaty obligations | Māori participation in public decisions |
|---|---|---|
| **National** | Recognises Te Tiriti as a founding document, but the current government has been reducing or standardising its statutory effect. It has supported replacing stronger Treaty clauses with more specific provisions, including a maximum standard of “take into account” in a number of laws. [Ensuring Treaty references are consistent | National Party](https://www.national.org.nz/news/20260515-honpaulgoldsmith-treaty?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Favors elected democratic accountability rather than separate Māori decision-making structures. In September 2026, the government legislated to remove voting rights from non-elected council committee members, including Auckland's Houkura/Independent Māori Statutory Board, while retaining its advisory role. [More improvements to strengthen Local Govt Act | National Party](https://www.national.org.nz/news/260915-simonwatts?utm_source=chatgpt.com) |
| **ACT** | Takes the most restrictive interpretation among the major coalition parties. ACT's 2026 policy would constitutionally affirm parliamentary sovereignty, equal legal rights and the rule of law, while requiring Cabinet to specify any Treaty interests and obligations before legislation is drafted. [ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/one-law-for-all-with-one-future-together?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Opposes co-governance and race-based political representation. It argues that decision-making authority should normally rest with elected representatives and that public services should be based on need rather than ethnicity. ACT also proposes ending the Waitangi Tribunal's contemporary jurisdiction and eventually disestablishing it. [ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/finish-the-settlements-wind-up-the-waitangi-tribunal?utm_source=chatgpt.com) |
| **NZ First** | Strongly supports historical Treaty settlements but rejects what it calls expansion of Treaty principles into contemporary governance. Its latest policy proposes abolishing the Waitangi Tribunal and replacing it with a commission to finish historical claims. [Ending the Waitangi Make-Work Industry - New Zealand First](https://www.nzfirst.nz/ending_the_waitangi_make_work_industry?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Opposes co-governance and separate Māori political structures. It is campaigning for a **binding referendum on the Māori parliamentary seats** and for abolishing Auckland's Independent Māori Statutory Board. [New Zealand First to Campaign for Referendum on Māori Seats - New Zealand First](https://www.nzfirst.nz/nz_first_to_campaign_for_referendum_on_maori_seats?utm_source=chatgpt.com) |
| **Labour** | Treats Te Tiriti as a foundational document and says it supports partnership, protection and participation. In 2026 it has committed to restoring some explicit Treaty obligations removed by the current government, including the obligation on schools to give effect to Te Tiriti. [Release: Labour will restore Te Tiriti commitment in schools](https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-labour-will-restore-te-tiriti-commitment-in-schools/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Supports Māori participation and says decisions affecting Māori should be made in partnership with Māori. Labour has previously used co-governance and Māori-specific institutional arrangements, although its 2026 programme is less constitutionally transformative than the Greens' or Te Pāti Māori's. [Release: Labour will partner with Māori in education](https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-labour-will-partner-with-maori-in-education/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) |
| **Green Party** | Sees Te Tiriti and He Whakaputanga as foundations of the constitutional order. Its 2026 manifesto proposes Te Tiriti-based decision-making throughout government and making the Māori text authoritative in law. [Manifesto 2026 - Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand](https://www.greens.org.nz/manifesto_2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Supports **rangatiratanga** and iwi/hapū participation as partners rather than merely advisers. Its proposals include stronger Māori authority in local government and natural-resource decisions and strengthening the Waitangi Tribunal, including binding recommendations concerning land return. [Manifesto 2026 - Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand](https://www.greens.org.nz/manifesto_2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com) |
| **Te Pāti Māori** | Goes furthest toward constitutional transformation. It proposes legally enforceable Crown obligations under Te Tiriti, an independent Te Tiriti Commission, binding Waitangi Tribunal recommendations and a Māori-led process for constitutional transformation. [Te Tiriti Entrenchment - Te Pāti Māori](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/te_tiriti_entrenchment?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Explicitly seeks stronger **mana motuhake and Māori political authority**. Its position is that Māori should have genuine authority over decisions affecting Māori communities, rather than simply being consulted by government. [Mana Motuhake - Te Pāti Māori](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/mana_motuhake?utm_source=chatgpt.com) |

### What this means in practical terms

There are essentially **three different models** on offer.

**1. Equal citizenship / elected-government model — National, ACT and NZ First**

These parties place much greater weight on the principle that political authority should derive from **votes cast equally by citizens**, rather than from separate Māori representation or co-governance arrangements.

There are important differences between them: National is currently maintaining Treaty settlements and the Crown–Māori relationship while changing the statutory treatment of Treaty principles; ACT wants more fundamental constitutional clarification; and NZ First has gone further in proposing abolition of the Waitangi Tribunal and a referendum on the Māori seats. [ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/one-law-for-all-with-one-future-together?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

For **local services**, this model tends to mean councils and government agencies remain primarily accountable through elected representatives, with Māori/iwi consultation rather than guaranteed Māori voting authority.

**2. Partnership / participation model — Labour**

Labour sits between the two broad camps. It accepts that Te Tiriti creates obligations for the Crown and that Māori should have meaningful involvement when government decisions affect Māori. Its current policy emphasises restoring Treaty obligations and genuine partnership, but it isn't proposing the same degree of constitutional restructuring as Te Pāti Māori. [Release: Labour will restore Te Tiriti commitment in schools](https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-labour-will-restore-te-tiriti-commitment-in-schools/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

**3. Rangatiratanga / constitutional-transformation model — Greens and Te Pāti Māori**

Here, Māori participation isn't treated simply as consultation. The underlying idea is that **Te Tiriti guarantees an ongoing relationship in which Māori retain authority over matters concerning Māori and participate as partners in Crown governance**.

The Greens propose embedding this approach across government decision-making. Te Pāti Māori goes further, proposing enforceable Crown obligations, binding Tribunal recommendations and a Māori-led constitutional process. [Manifesto 2026 - Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand](https://www.greens.org.nz/manifesto_2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

### One particularly important 2026 issue

This election is occurring while Parliament is actively considering three bills that would **standardise some Treaty obligations to “take into account” and repeal Treaty references from several statutes**, including legislation concerning education and other public institutions. Those bills are still before the Justice Select Committee as of September 2026. [Proposed changes to Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi provisions - New Zealand Parliament](https://www3.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/committees-press-releases/proposed-changes-to-tiriti-o-waitangitreaty-of-waitangi-provisions/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

So when parties talk about “honouring Te Tiriti,” it is worth asking a more precise question:

> **Does the party think Te Tiriti should constrain what governments can do, or should it mainly guide government decision-making where Parliament has specifically legislated for it?**

That distinction gets to the heart of the current disagreement.

### For your household and local-services concerns

Because you're also weighing **household costs and local services**, I'd separate your comparison into two columns:

- **Material effects:** tax, wages, housing, groceries, energy, transport, rates, healthcare and education.
- **Governance effects:** Māori wards, iwi/hapū representation, co-governance, Māori-specific services, Treaty clauses in legislation, Waitangi Tribunal powers and Māori authority over decisions affecting whenua, wai and whānau.

That avoids assuming that a party's position on Te Tiriti automatically tells you what it will do to the cost of living. The two questions can produce quite different comparisons.

One useful neutral 2026 policy comparison is [Policy.nz's party-policy comparison](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/te-ao-maori?utm_source=chatgpt.com), while the parliamentary record is particularly useful for distinguishing **proposed law from law already in force**. [Proposed changes to Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi provisions - New Zealand Parliament](https://www3.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/committees-press-releases/proposed-changes-to-tiriti-o-waitangitreaty-of-waitangi-provisions/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

If you're comparing parties for your own vote, the most revealing questions to put to each candidate are: **“Who should have decision-making power?”, “When is Māori participation consultation versus shared authority?”, and “Which Treaty obligations would you actually put into law?”** Those questions expose differences more clearly than slogans such as “co-governance” or “one law for all.”

**End captured answer**

## Gemini · asked nationally

Answer ID: 7deed3fc-9986-4a13-b822-9d9afd3f32e0. Captured 5 October 2026.

**Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified**

As a Māori parent balancing household costs and family well-being, deciding how to vote involves looking closely at how different political parties view your place as tangata whenua, the role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and how decisions are made. 

New Zealand political parties present sharply contrasting visions for Te Tiriti obligations, public sector service delivery, and Māori participation in governance. 

---

### 1. Te Pāti Māori, the Green Party, and the Labour Party (Te Tiriti as Partnership)
These parties emphasize a partnership model under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, pushing for systemic changes to address structural inequalities and living costs.

*   **Te Pāti Māori:** Advocates for a fundamental constitutional transformation based on the *Matike Mai* report and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Their platform includes making Waitangi Tribunal recommendations binding, establishing an independent Te Tiriti Commission, and advancing Māori-led solutions in health, housing, education, and justice. To ease household pressures, they support removing financial hurdles like GST on kai and advancing energy sovereignty.
*   **Green Party:** Focuses heavily on upholding Te Tiriti as a foundational document, protecting *whenua* and *taonga* from corporate exploitation, and resourcing hapū and iwi-led climate adaptation. They support making Waitangi Tribunal recommendations binding and investing heavily in community-led public services and te reo Māori initiatives.
*   **Labour Party:** Generally approaches Te Tiriti through a framework of practical co-design and partnership within existing government structures. While they have historically supported targeted Māori health authorities and advisory mechanisms, their focus is on closing socio-economic gaps through public service delivery (such as healthcare and education funding) and supporting whānau-centered social services.

### 2. National, ACT, and New Zealand First (Equal Citizenship and Universalism)
These parties emphasize a "one law for all" approach, arguing that democratic decision-making should be blind to race and that co-governance models create division.

*   **ACT Party:** Strongly opposes co-governance and race-based provisions in public services, promoting instead the principle that all citizens have equal political rights. They have pushed for strict legislative definitions of the Treaty principles to curtail the judiciary and public service from interpreting Te Tiriti as an active partnership between the Crown and iwi.
*   **National Party:** Focuses on public service delivery outcomes rather than co-governance structures, emphasizing local economic management, tax relief to ease household costs, and universal access to health and education. While acknowledging Crown obligations under the Treaty settlement process, they generally oppose separate co-governance arrangements for public infrastructure (like water services) and public health systems.
*   **New Zealand First:** Positions itself against what it terms "separatism" in public administration. They advocate for removing references to the "Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi" from legislation, arguing that public decisions should be made exclusively through democratically elected bodies rather than specialized Māori advisory structures or partnership boards.

### 3. The Opportunity Party (Structured & Evidence-Based Partnership)
*   **The Opportunity Party (TOP):** Proposes formalizing Treaty analysis into routine, transparent lawmaking so that Parliament and the public clearly see how obligations are weighed. They support Māori participating as a Treaty partner in matters directly affecting the Treaty relationship, alongside broad democratic tools (such as deliberative citizens' assemblies).

---

### Summary for a Working Household
When weighing your options for the 2026 election, the core political divide comes down to:
*   **A "Partnership" Vote:** Voting for parties like **Te Pāti Māori, the Greens, or Labour**, who believe that addressing household cost-of-living struggles must go hand-in-hand with structural power-sharing, legally binding obligations, and Māori-led decision-making.
*   **A "Universalist" Vote:** Voting for parties like **National, ACT, or New Zealand First**, who believe that public services and economic relief should be delivered universally to all households based on need or individual citizenship rather than distinct partnership frameworks.

*What specific area—such as housing affordability, healthcare access, or tamariki well-being—is the most important factor in your family's decision this year?*

**End captured answer**

## Google AI Mode · asked nationally

Answer ID: 6613ad2b-5d99-4283-bac3-3b2a5b3bf959. Captured 5 October 2026.

**Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified**

**New Zealand political parties hold sharply contrasting views on Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations and Māori participation in public decisions, ranging from co-governance advocacy and constitutional transformation to explicitly defining the Treaty principles through legislation or opposing race-based public provisions.**

For a working Māori parent balancing household costs, local services, and civic participation, understanding these ideological divisions helps clarify how each party approaches whānau well-being and governance.

* * *

Comparison of Party Positions on Te Tiriti and Public Participation

Party| Te Tiriti o Waitangi Approach| Māori Participation & Public Decisions| Focus on Household Costs & Services
---|---|---|---
**Te Pāti Māori**| Advocates for constitutional transformation, recognizing Matike Mai (indigenous self-determination) and honouring Te Tiriti as a foundational covenant.| Demands independent Māori authority, mandatory co-design in public services, and opposes race-neutral policy frameworks.| Supports cost-of-living relief targeting lower-income whānau, free public health/dental, and state-backed Māori housing initiatives.
**Green Party**| Supports Te Tiriti-centered governance, honoring native title, and honoring obligations across all environmental and social policies.| Champions active co-governance, strengthening Māori seats, and community-led public decision-making models.| Focuses on income support (working for families enhancements), green jobs, free public transport, and affordable healthy homes.
**Labour Party**| Views Te Tiriti as a living document guiding partnership; supports practical treaty settlements and targeted Māori health/social outcomes.| Promotes structured Māori consultation, advisory structures, and specific public sector engagement without full constitutional overhaul.| Centers on cost-of-living support, public healthcare funding, working-family tax credits, and public housing delivery.
**National Party**| Focuses on practical economic delivery, employment, and social outcomes for Māori rather than broad co-governance models.| Emphasizes localized delivery, iwi economic partnerships (such as aquaculture and regional development), while scaling back race-specific public co-design entities.| Prioritizes economic growth, tax relief for working families, crime reduction, and inflation control to lower living costs.
**ACT New Zealand**| Seeks a legislative definition of the principles of the Treaty to ensure equal civil rights and remove references to "principles" from legislation.| Opposes co-governance and race-based public decision mechanisms, arguing for a strictly colorblind, universal democratic process.| Advocates for broad tax cuts, cutting regulatory costs, reducing government spending, and market-driven public service delivery.

* * *

Detailed Breakdown of Approaches

 * * **Te Pāti Māori:** Focuses heavily on tino rangatiratanga (self-determination). They reject standard parliamentary frameworks where Māori interests are minority considerations, choosing a strategy centered tightly on the Māori seats and systemic redistribution of power and resources.

 * **Green Party:** Integrates Te Tiriti partnership directly into environmental, economic, and social frameworks. They view ecological health and indigenous stewardship (kaitiakitanga) as inseparable, supporting formal co-governance arrangements in conservation and local infrastructure.

 * **Labour Party:** Takes a moderate partnership approach. They implement targeted social investments (such as previous Māori health authorities or specific funding pools), balancing institutional partnership with standard Westminster governance traditions.

 * **National Party:** Emphasizes practical socio-economic metrics—such as educational attendance, housing supply, and employment via regional iwi commercial partnerships—while explicitly avoiding constitutional co-governance arrangements in public service delivery.

 * **ACT New Zealand:** Advocates for a fundamental reset of how the Treaty is referenced in law, contending that public decisions must treat all citizens identically without separate governance processes or statutory considerations based on ancestry.

 *

Voter Information Resources

To explore specific candidates, local electorate dynamics, and full party manifestos leading up to the election, consult the independent non-partisan tool [Policy.nz](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/education) or register and check enrollment details via the [Official Electoral Commission](https://www.elections.nz).

**End captured answer**

## Google AI Overviews · asked nationally

Answer ID: 94a078f8-3e1c-4a11-8c22-fb8e9b7c1e4d. Captured 5 October 2026.

**Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified**

Political parties in New Zealand hold **starkly different positions** on Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations and Māori participation in public decisions. The debate splits broadly into two directions: the current right-wing coalition seeking a universal, centralized approach with limited Treaty interpretations, and the left-wing bloc advocating for Māori-led authority and systemic entrenchment of Te Tiriti.

A direct comparison of where the major parties stand for the **2026 General Election** highlights their differing paths:

Political Party| Policy on Te Tiriti Obligations| Stance on Māori Participation & Co-governance
---|---|---
**National Party**| Committed to traditional principles but actively seeks to amend legislation to ensure references are strictly consistent across government. Opposes expanding Treaty scopes.| Focuses on universal public service delivery rather than targeted Māori-led agencies. Disestablished the Māori Health Authority (_Te Aka Whai Ora_) and favors local referendums for Māori wards.
**ACT New Zealand**| Historically championed the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. Pushes for a narrow, literal definition of the Treaty applied equally to all citizens.| Strongly opposes co-governance and race-based targeting in healthcare, government procurement, or public decision-making.
**New Zealand First**| Supports stripping Treaty clauses from active legislation and opposes using international frameworks (like UNDRIP) to shape local laws.| Advocates for a singular, centralized public service, removing ethnicity as a prioritization factor in public services.
**Labour Party**| Pledges to restore explicit Te Tiriti obligations into public sectors like the schooling system. Opposes right-wing attempts to redefine or diminish the Treaty.| Supports Māori-led initiatives and devolving services to iwi where appropriate. However, it rejects giving an unelected body the power to veto laws passed by Parliament.
**Green Party**| Views Te Tiriti as a foundational promise of protection for whānau and the environment. Opposes coalition budget cuts to Māori programming.| Supports robust co-governance frameworks and expanding Māori-led authority over public services and natural resource management.
**Te Pāti Māori**| Campaigns heavily on its _Te Tiriti Entrenchment Policy_ , aiming to make Treaty obligations legally binding on the Crown and make Waitangi Tribunal recommendations mandatory.| Demands total _Mana Motuhake_ (self-determination), a $220 million fund for Māori-led constitutional reform (_Mātike Mai_), and an independent Te Tiriti Commission.

Main Points of Difference for Working Whānau

 * **The Right Bloc (National, ACT, NZ First):** Emphasizes lowering the cost of living through broad tax relief and streamlining public services. Their approach eliminates race-conscious policies in favor of universal funding based strictly on need, not ethnicity.

 * **The Left Bloc (Labour, Greens, Te Pāti Māori):** Argues that strengthening Te Tiriti and allowing Māori-led delivery actually improves local services (like education and health) for whānau. They favor targeted economic relief alongside targeted funding for Māori enterprise and community-led initiatives.

If you would like to explore how these decisions impact your household directly, please let me know:

 * Which specific **local services** (e.g., healthcare, childcare, schooling) matter most to your family?

 * What **household costs** are putting the most pressure on your working budget right now?

I can provide a breakdown of how the parties plan to address those exact financial pressures.

**End captured answer**

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