Ake, Ake, Ake: Green Party commits $200m to the future of te reo Māori

te tiriti o waitangi

Green Party announce marae funding policy Te Waonui a Tāne

The Green Party has announced its 2026 Tiriti policy Te Waonui a Tāne: Thriving Marae and Thriving Communities."When marae are strong, communities are stronger. The Green Party policy Te Waonui a Tāne will recognise and resource marae to keep our communities connected and safe, for all of us," says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. "We can ensure our mokopuna inherit vibrant, resilient, and self-determining communities. Marae are the living hearts of our communities. "Current funding for marae creates uncertainty as...

Posted at August 09, 2026 1:31 PM by Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick

te tiriti o waitangi

Budget 2026 fails Māori

The Green Party says Budget 2026 makes clear who this Government cares about, and it’s not Māori. “Budget 2026 neglects its Tiriti obligations to make way for the super-rich and powerful,” says Green Party Co-leader, Marama Davidson.    “Despite the desperate need in our Māori communities, Willis has seen fit to again turn away while delivering billions of dollars for landlords, fossil fuel dependency, and on new military equipment.”   “Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a promise of protection for whānau and for taiao: a promise Nicola Willis has broken for a third year in a row with this Budget.   “Te iwi...

Posted at May 28, 2026 2:46 PM by Marama Davidson

te tiriti o waitangi

Government announces Treaty Principles Bill by stealth

The Green Party is condemning the Government's decision to weaken te Tiriti o Waitangi references across 19 acts of Parliament, calling it the Stealth Treaty Principles Bill."New Zealanders didn't want the Treaty Principles Bill, and they sure don't want it by stealth," says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. "Stripping te Tiriti out of seven acts entirely and dragging the Crown's obligations in another ten down to the weakest possible standard, is a deliberate diminishment of the founding document of this...

Posted at May 15, 2026 1:50 PM by Marama Davidson

te tiriti o waitangi

Greens call on Luxon to abandon racist education reforms

The Green Party is urging Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to abandon amendments to the Education and Training Act following the Waitangi Tribunal’s scathing report on the proposed changes.“The Waitangi Tribunal has been clear: Luxon’s Government has breached its Tiriti obligations. It can no longer mask the racism in its education reforms,” says Green Party Co-leader, Marama Davidson.  “Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a promise to take the best possible care of each other. Its place in the education of our tamariki, our taonga, our...

Posted at May 15, 2026 12:04 PM by Marama Davidson

te tiriti o waitangi

Greens unveil diverse list with large Māori representation

The Green Party has announced 13 Māori candidates in its final list for the 2026 General Election with 9 in the top 20 and Marama Davidson number 1.Co-leader Marama Davidson says, “Our skilled and diverse candidate list includes Māori with strong leadership experience, working together to deliver real outcomes for whānau, hapū and iwi. “The 13 Māori candidates reflect a long standing commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi, equity and partnership. We must reflect an Aotearoa that works for everyone....

Posted at April 22, 2026 12:00 PM by Marama Davidson

democracy and international relations

Government rams through sweeping changes to Te Tiriti in legislation

The Green Party is condemning the Government’s weakening of Te Tiriti o Waitangi provisions across multiple pieces of legislation. "Pushing through these sweeping changes in secret shows this Government is a dishonourable Treaty partner," says Green Party MP Tamatha Paul.  Documents seen by Paul outline Cabinet's decision to amend Treaty provisions across 23 pieces of legislation.   Under the changes, the standard of Treaty obligation would be reduced to no higher than "take into account".   Treaty references in other laws would be repealed entirely. The decisions were made in...

Posted at April 19, 2026 6:35 PM by Tamatha Paul

te tiriti o waitangi

Luxon Government can no longer mask racism in education reforms

The Green Party welcomes the urgent inquiry by the Waitangi Tribunal on the Education and Training Amendment Act and Te Mātaiaho (WAI 3553)."The hearings were clear: the Crown breached its Tiriti obligations. The Government can no longer mask the racism in its education reforms," says Green Party spokesperson for education Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan,. The Tribunal heard from iwi including Ngāti Hine and Te Kapotai, and education leaders from across the sector. They expressed their concerns about the removal of Te...

Posted at April 17, 2026 5:13 PM by Lawrence Xu-Nan and Hūhana Lyndon

culture and innovation

Luxon’s Government actively neglects Māori news broadcasting

The Green Party has condemned the funding cut which has lead to the loss of the National Māori Radio news service. The news service will air for the last time tonight. “After years of harsh cuts to Māori broadcasting under Luxon’s Government, the Green Party is calling on Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka to stand up for Māori news broadcasting,” says Green Party Co-leader, Marama Davidson.  “Over the past four decades, iwi radio has played a fundamental role in broadcasting critical news, diverse voices, and community stories to whānau across the motu.  “The National Māori Radio service has always...

Posted at March 31, 2026 1:10 PM by Marama Davidson

te tiriti o waitangi

Green Party announces 14 Māori candidates in the initial candidate list for the 2026 General Election

The Green Party announces 14 Māori candidates in the Delegate List for the 2026 General Election, which will now inform the membership voting process.Co-Leader Marama Davidson says, “our diverse Māori candidates are supported by whānau, hapū and iwi, further strengthening Māori voice in the Green Party and across the motu. I am proud that our list reflects the importance of our staunch Māori candidates to our Party.” The Māori candidates on the list with their ranking number are: 1. Marama...

Posted at March 12, 2026 4:00 PM by Marama Davidson

te tiriti o waitangi

Greens announce bill to entrench Māori seats in law

Today, the Green Party is announcing a member's bill, in the name of Hūhana Lyndon, to entrench Māori seats in law. “Entrenching Māori seats in law is only a start, but a necessary one,” says the Green Party’s Māori Development spokesperson, Hūhana Lyndon.  “A thriving democracy, one which we can all be proud of, requires that all people participate in ways that make sense to them. Entrenching Māori seats protects that right for generations to come.  “This Bill aims to correct a constitutional imbalance of the treatment of Māori seats. General Electorate seats are currently entrenched....

Posted at January 23, 2026 3:02 PM by Hūhana Lyndon

nature and climate

Sad day for democracy as RSB passes second reading

Despite a resounding majority of submitters opposing the Regulatory Standards Bill, Luxon’s Government has pushed it through second reading.“New Zealanders made it clear they don’t want this zombie Frankenstein of the Treaty Principles Bill. Today Christopher Luxon has chosen to ignore them,” says Green Party Co-leader, Chlöe Swarbrick. “Our country has real problems we could be fixing, but instead the Government is stroking the ACT Party’s ego by reviving and pushing through their vanity project which has failed three times...

Posted at November 04, 2025 4:37 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick

te tiriti o waitangi

Māori media needs more investment, not funding cuts

The Green Party is gravely concerned about a major cut to funding for flagship Māori news and current affairs programmes Te Karere and The Hui by Te Māngai Pāhō.“This is a terrible outcome for Māori media, and sadly consistent with this Government’s continual undermining of our culture,” says the Green Party Spokesperson for Māori Development, Media and Communications, Hūhana Lyndon. “The complete gutting of funding for The Hui is particularly galling, as it has been such an effective vehicle for...

Posted at October 24, 2025 2:56 PM by Hūhana Lyndon

te tiriti o waitangi

Marine coastal law robs Māori of customary rights

The Green Party says the passing of the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) (Customary Marine Title) Amendment Bill robs Māori of customary rights to the Takutai Moana.“This Government is selling out Māori with a Bill that prioritises profit over taonga and is another form of raupatu,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Māori-Crown relations Steve Abel.  “The Government has a duty to ensure customary rights are upheld. Instead they are diminishing Māori rights, sidelining the voices of iwi and...

Posted at October 21, 2025 9:00 PM by Steve Abel

te tiriti o waitangi

Government one step closer to legislating another raupatu

The Green Party condemns the Coalition Government passing its Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) (Customary Marine Title) Amendment Bill through its second reading, which prioritises profits over taonga.“This Bill is this Government’s most anti-Tiriti piece of legislation yet, and that’s saying something,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Māori-Crown relations, Steve Abel. “Customary rights are tino rangatiratanga in action. This Bill robs Māori of customary rights to the takutai moana, effectively denying centuries of relationship with the marine coastal...

Posted at October 09, 2025 5:05 PM by Steve Abel

te tiriti o waitangi

He maimai aroha ki a Ariki Tā Tumu Te Heuheu Tūkino VIII

The Green Party acknowledges the life, contribution and passing of Tā Tumu Te Heuheu Tūkino VIII, the ariki of Ngāti Tūwharetoa. "We are mourning Tā Tumu Te Heuheu, an unrelenting ariki who loved his whakapapa: tāngata and taiao alike," says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson. “Tā Tumu was respected across Aotearoa for his kaitiakitanga, particularly as kaitiaki of Tongariro, the maunga tapu first gifted to the Crown by his ancestor Horonuku Te Heuheu Tūkino IV. “Tā Tumu’s last great battle was...

Posted at September 23, 2025 11:22 AM by Marama Davidson