Treaty & Māori Affairs · Party position

NZ First on Treaty & Māori Affairs

Put the Māori seats to a referendum and remove designated Māori representation in local government.

NZ First is campaigning to end designated Māori representation on Auckland Council and to settle the future of the Māori parliamentary seats by referendum.

What they say they'll do

Hold a referendum on the future of the Māori seats in Parliament
Disestablish the unelected Auckland Council Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB)

Who this affects

Māori voters enrolled on the Māori electoral roll

A referendum on Māori seats would put the continuation of dedicated Māori seats in Parliament to a public vote.

Auckland residents and ratepayers

Disestablishing the IMSB would remove the unelected Māori advisory board that currently provides input into Auckland Council decisions.

In their own words

“The time has come for a decision on the future of the Māori seats.”

“New Zealand First has announced a campaign policy to disestablish the unelected Auckland Council Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB).”

Verify at NZ First — official policy page

Summarised neutrally from NZ First’s own official policy (as at 2026-09-07) 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.

Read the full breakdown4 sections · 3 quotes · 6 open questions

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

Coverage at a glance

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National

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