Te Pāti Māori says Māori should have the right to make decisions about freshwater and land. They want to protect traditional food systems, reject genetically engineered foods, and support farming methods that work with nature. They say water is life and that decisions about it should be made by those who have always cared for it — hapū, iwi and whānau.
“Water is life — and control over water is power.”
“Assert Māori rights and authority over freshwater. Stop decisions being made without Māori consent.”
“Protect Māori food systems including seed sovereignty, rejecting GE foods, and upholding WAI262.”
Summarised neutrally from Te Pāti Māori’s own official policy (as at 2026-07-16) and checked by an editor. Nothing is paraphrased without the source linked. Read the original ↗ Arapono is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Environment →
Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has reintroduced a member’s bill, the Seabed Mining Prohibition Act, to ban seabed mining permanently — closing all legal pathways including fast-track approvals, and applying across the coastal marine area, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf. It is the second version, strengthened to account for fast-track legislation; the first was supported by the Greens and voted down by Labour.
Which party holds a published position on which topic.
Swipe across to see all 11 topics — the party column stays put.
| Party | Economy | Housing | Health | Education | Climate | Environment | Crime & Justice | Treaty & Māori Affairs | Immigration | Foreign Policy | Democracy & Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National |
| ∅ |
| Labour | ∅ | ∅ | ∅ | ∅ | ∅ | ∅ |
| Green |
| ACT |
| NZ First |
| Te Pāti Māori |
| TOP |
| Also contesting, without seats in Parliament | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Rights | |||||||||||
| Animal Justice | |||||||||||
| ALCP | |||||||||||
| Conservative | |||||||||||
| Outdoors & Freedom | |||||||||||
| Vision NZ | |||||||||||
| Alliance | |||||||||||
| Free Palestine | |||||||||||
| NZ Loyal | ∅ | ||||||||||
| Te Tai Tokerau | ∅ | ||||||||||