Green Party pledges $200m for Te Reo and Te Tiriti-centered conservation reset

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson has unveiled a comprehensive policy package for the 2026 election, linking the revitalisation of te reo Māori with a fundamental reset of Aotearoa New Zealand’s conservation framework. Speaking at the March for Nature in Auckland on Sunday, 20 September, and following up during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori celebrations on Monday, Davidson detailed a vision that places Te Tiriti o Waitangi at the heart of both environmental and cultural governance. As reported by Waatea News, the Greens have committed $200 million over four years to support various te reo Māori initiatives. This funding package is designed to provide additional support for teacher development and bolster the capacity of key institutions, including Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori and Te Mātāwai. The announcement comes amid a turbulent political week where the future of the language and the role of Te Tiriti have dominated parliamentary debate. On the environmental front, Davidson announced that the Green Party intends to reverse recent conservation and environmental law changes if successful in the 7 November election. The proposed policy seeks to remove economic imperatives for public conservation lands, prioritizing ecosystem health and evidence-based protection instead. Central to this shift is a commitment to affirming the role of tangata whenua as shared decision-makers and kaitiaki within a reformed resource management system. Davidson stated that public conservation land should be managed for the benefit of nature rather than commercial development. The policy aims to restore conservation as the primary purpose of the Conservation Act and introduces stronger protections to prevent the sale or disposal of conservation land. The party is advocating for a system that prioritises Indigenous-led stewardship of whenua, arguing that Māori participation is essential to the future of the nation’s environmental health. The Green Party is positioning these policies as a direct response to the current Coalition Government’s focus on infrastructure and economic development. By linking language funding with environmental kaitiakitanga, the party is setting a clear dividing line for voters regarding the place of Te Tiriti in legislative decisions. Davidson also noted that these issues are interconnected with broader debates over social equity, including recent government Move-on Orders legislation that critics argue disproportionately impacts vulnerable and homeless populations.