2026 New Zealand election: Te Tiriti and Māori participation

For the 2026 general election, the central difference between parties is whether Te Tiriti o Waitangi should primarily guide equal treatment under one legal framework, or require specific Crown obligations, Māori participation and recognition of tino rangatiratanga in public decision-making.

These differences affect more than constitutional debates. They can shape how decisions are made about health services, schools, housing, freshwater, local councils, whānau support and the use of public money.

The election is scheduled for Saturday 7 November 2026, with advance voting from 26 October. The comparison below reflects published party positions and reporting available as of October 2026; some policies and implementation details may still change. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o WaitangiPolicies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026

1. How the main parties differ

This is a comparison of policy approaches, not a ranking of parties or a recommendation on how to vote.

Party	Approach to Te Tiriti	Māori participation in decisions
National	Recognises Te Tiriti as a founding document, while emphasising Crown sovereignty and equal treatment.	Has overseen changes to Treaty-related legislation, Māori health structures and Māori ward referendums. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o Waitangi
ACT	Favours equal individual rights under one legal framework and a narrower role for Treaty principles.	Its proposed “One Law for All” policy would affirm parliamentary sovereignty and equality before the law, and limit some uses of tikanga in courts. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o Waitangi
New Zealand First	Recognises the Treaty and settlements but opposes expanding undefined Treaty principles and co-governance.	Prefers public services based on individual need rather than ethnicity and favours more specific statutory obligations. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Labour	Supports Treaty partnership, protection and participation, without proposing the same degree of constitutional transformation as the Greens or Te Pāti Māori.	Has previously established co-governance arrangements and Māori-specific health structures; in 2026 it is campaigning to restore some explicit Treaty obligations. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Green Party	Treats Te Tiriti and He Whakaputanga as foundations for an ongoing constitutional partnership.	Proposes Treaty-based decision-making across government, greater iwi and hapū rangatiratanga, and stronger Waitangi Tribunal powers. Manifesto 2026Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Te Pāti Māori	Advocates constitutional transformation centred on Te Tiriti and mana motuhake.	Proposes entrenching Te Tiriti, a Te Tiriti commissioner, binding Waitangi Tribunal recommendations and Treaty impact statements for bills. PolicyWhere political parties stand on Te Tiriti o Waitangi
The Opportunities Party (TOP)	Supports strengthening Te Tiriti's role and opposed the Treaty Principles Bill.	Proposes greater Māori autonomy in areas such as health and justice, although the extent of its proposed arrangements is less fully specified. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o Waitangi

The table captures broad differences, not every policy or the likely result of coalition negotiations. National's position is also distinct from ACT's and New Zealand First's: the three parties have not taken identical positions on every Treaty-related measure. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o Waitangi

2. What do these differences mean in everyday life?

Here are five practical areas to compare when considering what Te Tiriti obligations and Māori participation could mean for your whānau.

Health and whānau services

A key question is whether services should be designed mainly through universal systems, with assistance allocated by individual need, or whether Māori-led services and explicit Crown obligations are necessary to address persistent inequities.

Labour has previously supported Māori-specific health structures; the Greens and Te Pāti Māori advocate stronger Māori-led approaches. The current National-led government's disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora is an important part of the policy record to consider. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o WaitangiManifesto 2026Policy

Local councils and Māori representation

Ask whether Māori should have dedicated representation, formal partnership arrangements or a voice through the same general consultation channels as other residents.

Māori wards, local referendums, iwi consultation and co-governance are distinct mechanisms. A party's stance on one does not automatically tell you its position on all the others. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o WaitangiPolicies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026

Education, te reo Māori and identity

Look at whether parties want explicit Treaty obligations in education, more teaching about Te Tiriti and Aotearoa history, and support for te reo Māori.

Labour has campaigned to restore certain explicit Treaty obligations removed under the current government. The Greens propose a broader Treaty-based approach to government, while ACT and New Zealand First favour a narrower role for general Treaty principles. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o WaitangiManifesto 2026

Whenua, wai and natural resources

Consider who gets to make decisions about freshwater, coastal areas, land use and environmental protection. Some parties favour stronger recognition of iwi and hapū authority; others are more cautious about shared governance or Treaty-based rights.

The Greens and Te Pāti Māori propose more far-reaching changes to recognise rangatiratanga and address historical dispossession. The details of each proposal matter, including how decisions would be made and how existing rights would be handled. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o WaitangiPolicy

Household costs and public spending

Treaty policy alone does not tell you whether your power bill, rent, grocery costs or childcare expenses will fall. Those outcomes also depend on tax, housing, energy, employment and social-service policies.

For a working household, it is worth comparing how parties would fund Māori-led services, what universal support they offer, and whether their proposals include clear budgets, eligibility rules and delivery timelines. The Greens, for example, have made affordability and public-service funding explicit priorities in their 2026 manifesto. Manifesto 2026Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026

3. The key distinction: consultation, partnership or rangatiratanga?

These terms are often used together in political debate, but they can mean different things in practice.

Model	What it can mean in practice
Consultation	Government asks Māori for views but may make the final decision without agreement.
Partnership or co-governance	Māori and Crown representatives share some decision-making responsibilities, depending on the legal arrangement.
Rangatiratanga	Recognition of Māori authority and the ability of iwi, hapū or Māori communities to exercise meaningful control over matters affecting them.
Universal services based on need	Services are generally available under common rules, with resources directed according to individual or household circumstances rather than ethnicity alone.

These approaches are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, a government could provide universal healthcare while also funding Māori-led providers or sharing decisions with iwi over particular resources.

The political disagreement concerns which arrangements should be guaranteed, where they should apply, and how much authority they should give Māori. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o WaitangiPolicies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026

4. How to assess what parties would actually deliver

Party promises and the record of a government are different kinds of evidence. For each policy you care about, it helps to check:

• Legal commitment: Would the proposal create a binding Crown obligation, or is it an intention that a future government could change?
• Decision-making power: Would Māori be consulted, share authority, or hold decision-making powers in their own right?
• Resources: Is funding specified, and is there a credible plan for staffing and delivery?
• Accountability: Could a court, the Waitangi Tribunal or another independent body hold the Crown accountable?
• Track record: What did the party implement when it had the opportunity to govern, and what did it repeal or change?
• Coalition commitments: Would the party maintain its policy when negotiating with other parties to form a government?

These questions are particularly important for Te Pāti Māori and the Greens' proposals for constitutional and institutional change, as well as for parties proposing more limited Treaty obligations. The practical details, costs and legislative steps can determine how much difference a policy would make. Where political parties stand on Te Tiriti o WaitangiPolicy

5. Where to compare the actual 2026 policies

These resources provide further detail and let you check proposals against your own priorities.

Policy.nz

Compare policies on Te Tiriti, Māori governance, health, housing, incomes and local government.

Compare Te ao Māori policies · Compare law and government policies

Green Party

Read the party's 2026 manifesto and Māori policy commitments.

Green Party 2026 manifesto

Te Pāti Māori

Read its proposals for Te Tiriti entrenchment, mana motuhake and Māori-led services.

Te Pāti Māori policy platform

The Spinoff's 2026 Treaty comparison

A cross-party overview covering National, ACT, New Zealand First, Labour, the Greens, Te Pāti Māori and TOP.

Read the full comparison

6. A useful next step for your vote

For your own comparison, it may help to separate two questions:

1. What should the Crown be legally required to do under Te Tiriti, and what authority should Māori have in public decisions?
2. Which parties have credible, funded plans to improve the everyday costs and services your household relies on?

You can weigh both questions without assuming that a party's position on one automatically settles the other.

The 2026 election also gives you two votes: a party vote, which largely determines each party's share of seats in Parliament, and an electorate vote for your local representative. You can assess the parties' national Treaty policies separately from the positions and records of individual electorate candidates. Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026Register of political parties