Political direction
The party takes kaupapa Māori as its political basis, emphasising the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori self-governance, decolonisation and public services designed by Māori communities.
Parliamentary opposition2026 policies still being released
Te Pāti Māori
Te Pāti Māori
Also known as: Māori Party, Maori Party, Te Pati Maori
Built around Māori values and tino rangatiratanga (Māori self-determination), with an emphasis on Māori-led education, health, justice and support for whānau.
The party in 60 seconds
Published policy claims
EducationElection promise
What this means
Establish a Māori education authority, and strengthen Māori governance across the education system.
Evidence and checks
EducationElection promise
What this means
Make te reo Māori a core subject up to Year 10, and include Māori knowledge systems in teaching.
Evidence and checks
EducationElection promise
What this means
Expand the school lunch programme, and provide free public transport and free in-school counselling for students.
Evidence and checks
HealthElection promise
What this means
Rebuild Māori-led health governance and services, with a focus on prevention, cultural safety and whānau wellbeing.
Evidence and checks
Law, justice and rightsElection promise
What this means
Build Māori-led justice programmes, reform laws that criminalise poverty, and reduce mass imprisonment.
Evidence and checks
Te Tiriti and democracyElection promise
What this means
Promises to strengthen Māori political power and governance structures, advance the return of land and rangatiratanga, and return more power to tangata whenua, hapū, iwi and whānau.
Evidence and checks
Verification note: The policy sets out direction and principles, but does not give specific legislative mechanisms or a timetable.
Housing and transportElection promise
What this means
Promises more public and affordable housing, fewer barriers to building on Māori and ancestral land, and action against speculation, land banking and long-term vacant properties.
Evidence and checks
Verification note: The policy page does not publish the number of homes, the funding source or an implementation timetable.
Verified key people
Rawiri Waititi
Co-leader
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 2025, CC BY 4.0
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
Co-leader
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 2025, CC BY 4.0What happened, in date order
Party record
Te Tai Tokerau Party completed registration
The Electoral Commission registered the new party led by Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. Parliament's current page still lists only six parliamentary parties, so this site does not treat the new registration as automatically creating an additional recognised parliamentary party.
PartyMap has not yet found an independent official assessment directly tied to this record.
Party record
Education policy published
The party published policy on a Māori education authority, te reo Māori in the curriculum and student support.
PartyMap has not yet found an independent official assessment directly tied to this record.
Independent official finding
Inquiry into census and vaccination data protection published
The Public Service Commission found that safeguards at several government agencies were inadequate, and recorded that about 40,000 additional Māori census forms had been collected. Allegations about a Te Pāti Māori text message campaign were referred to the Privacy Commissioner, and the inquiry did not uphold those allegations.
Show 1 earlier record
Election
Won Māori electorate seats at the 2023 general election
Te Pāti Māori entered Parliament with 6 MPs after the 2023 general election, and its caucus and the affiliation of its MPs changed afterwards.