Treaty & Māori Affairs · Party position

NZ First on Treaty & Māori Affairs

Remove race-based policies; treat all New Zealanders equally

NZ First says it will remove policies it sees as giving Māori separate treatment. It wants to abolish the Māori Health Authority, keep English as the main official language, withdraw from a United Nations declaration on Indigenous peoples, and repeal a law that set up Māori wards in local councils. It says it opposes what it calls 'separatism' and wants all government services to treat people the same regardless of race.

What they say they'll do

Make English the primary official language of New Zealand
Abolish the Māori Health Authority and other race-based health initiatives
Withdraw from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
Repeal the law allowing Māori wards and Māori constituencies in local councils
Refuse to work with political parties that promote separatism
Remove critical race theory and de-colonialism from the school curriculum

Who this affects

Māori communities

Policies specifically set up to serve Māori, such as the Māori Health Authority and Māori council wards, would be removed under these proposals.

Local council voters

The law that enabled Māori wards to be established in local councils would be repealed, affecting how those wards were created.

School students and teachers

The school curriculum would be reviewed to remove content the party describes as critical race theory and de-colonialism.

In their own words

“New Zealand First wants every kiwi to be treated the same, to have equal opportunity and to be treated with fairness and respect.”

“Withdraw from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as it removes the rights of New Zealand citizens to write their own laws.”

“Return New Zealand to a single health system for all based on need not race”

Verify at NZ First — official policy page

Summarised neutrally from NZ First’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 Treaty & Māori Affairs →

In depth — from NZ First’s policy document

Disestablishing Auckland’s Independent Māori Statutory Board

NZ First has a member’s bill to disestablish the Independent Māori Statutory Board, the unelected body created alongside the Auckland Super City in 2010. Its functions, property and obligations would transfer back to Auckland Council. The argument made is accountability: that ratepayers fund the board — $3.5 million last year — without being able to elect or remove its members. The document states the change would not stop the council engaging with Māori.

In depth — from NZ First’s policy document

A referendum on the Māori seats

NZ First would put the future of the Māori electorate seats to a public vote, and says that if enough people support them they could be retained. The case rests on the 1986 Royal Commission’s conclusion that MMP would remove the original justification for separate seats, on figures the party gives for Māori representation in the House, on falling Māori roll enrolment, and on its characterisation of the current seat-holders.

The proposal

A public referendum

If support exists

They could be retained

1986 Royal Commission

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