By Māori, for Māori.
The Green Party will support Māori to make decisions about the destiny of their own whānau, hapū and iwi.
Tangata whenua lived undisturbed for centuries as hapū, creating tikanga unique to the whenua and focusing on the health and sustainability of their whakapapa. When tangata whenua thrive, so does everyone who lives in Aotearoa. Supporting ongoing kaupapa Māori approaches for Māori to fulfil their aspirations was affirmed and guaranteed by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
When Te Tiriti was signed, it was assured that the relationship between tangata whenua and the Crown would mean no change in the way Māori choose to live their lives. However, successive governments continue to implement harmful actions which have eroded Māori social structures, contributed to the loss of traditional knowledge and created intergenerational inequities across many key metrics.
The current Government’s legislative assaults have targeted tangata whenua from all sides. They have consistently ignored independent experts, the Waitangi Tribunal and their own advisors, who have warned that their actions will only deepen existing inequities and contribute to further racial divides.
It is time to remove the burden from Māori to keep reminding the Crown of their promises. The Crown must take accountability for their ongoing injustices against Te Tiriti and for using te iwi Māori as a political football.
The Green Party supports tangata whenua-led processes, actions and decision-making by devolving power and investing resources in all matters that affect Māori. We know that Te Tiriti and democracy are not contradictory, but complementary.
Returning whenua to its kaitiaki, and facilitating ‘by Māori, for Māori’ solutions to target inequities are ways we can uphold Te Tiriti while honouring the democracy that Aotearoa should be founded on.
Our plan
- Devolve power and redistribute resources back to tangata whenua in recognition that Māori are the decision-makers and facilitators of the destiny of their own whānau, hapū and iwi.
- Invest in outcomes that minimise the disparities and inequities tangata whenua face across the majority of social and economic outcomes.
- Resource marae through a Marae Resilience Fund for Māori to lead initiatives for their people, wāhi tapu (sacred sites) and whenua in accordance with their own tikanga. Create ongoing funding for provisions for civil emergencies in recognition of being consistent community lifelines.
- End perpetual leases on whenua Māori and amend the Public Works Act to prevent the acquisition of Māori freehold land, Māori customary land and lands within a reasonable proximity to marae, urupā and wāhi tapu.
- Expand the learning, speaking and promotion of te reo Māori in both formal and informal settings to encourage the widespread use of the language across the nation.