Te Pāti Māori Proposes $220m Constitutional Shift to Bind Crown to Te Tiriti o Waitangi by 2040

Te Pāti Māori has announced a landmark Te Tiriti Entrenchment policy aimed at legally binding the Crown to its obligations and transforming New Zealand’s constitutional framework. As reported by Te Ao Māori News and Waatea News, the policy seeks to shift the foundation of the state toward genuine mana motuhake, moving away from a system where Māori must ask governments to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi toward one that requires it. The party has set 2040, the bicentenary of the signing of Te Tiriti, as the target for full implementation. At the heart of the proposal is the establishment of an independent Te Tiriti Commission. This body would possess the authority to investigate government departments and Crown agencies to ensure executive decisions comply with statutory Tiriti obligations. In cases of serious breaches, the commission could issue compliance orders to suspend decisions. Co-leader Rawiri Waititi stated this shift removes the burden from Māori to initiate court proceedings; instead, the Crown would be forced to justify its actions in the High Court to override a commission order. Party President John Tamihere emphasised that Te Tiriti should serve as the overarching framework for all policy development, including health, housing, and education. To facilitate this transition, Te Pāti Māori proposes a $220 million Mātike Mai Fund over four years. This initiative, inspired by the work of the late Dr Moana Jackson and Professor Margaret Mutu, would support an independent secretariat and constitutional discussions across the motu, leading toward a Māori Constitutional Convention. The fund aims to explore models where the spheres of rangatiratanga and kāwanatanga interact as equals. Tamihere argued that Māori political representation must translate into genuine authority over decisions affecting whānau, hapū, and iwi rather than relying on government permission. Furthermore, the policy seeks to amend the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 and the Constitution Act to make Waitangi Tribunal recommendations legally binding. This would ensure that remedies for breaches are no longer left to the voluntary discretion of the government of the day. Waititi described the legislation as a vital tool for accountability, ensuring a mature nation where the relationship between Māori and the state is legally secured rather than left to political whim. Tamihere has indicated that these protections will serve as a bottom line in post-election negotiations for the 2026 election.