Green Party 2026 Manifesto: Key Issues for Democracy and Equal Citizenship.
The Green Party’s 2026 manifesto includes several policies with major implications for equal citizenship, equal political rights, and democratic accountability, which includes support for Te Tiriti-based partnership and shared decision-making/co-governance arrangements. The following list highlights the key provisions most relevant to Democracy Action’s focus on these principles.
· Te Tiriti-based decision-making in government: “Implement genuine Te Tiriti-based decision-making models across government and resource iwi and hapū to participate as partners rather than as advisors.”
· Constitutional transformation based on Matike Mai: “Resource a national conversation for constitutional transformation” based on He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi as founding constitutional documents, using Matike Mai Aotearoa to facilitate community discussions.”
· Devolving government power to tangata whenua: “tangata whenua-led processes, actions and decision-making by devolving power and investing resources in all matters that affect Māori.” And:
“Devolve power and redistribute resources back to tangata whenua in recognition that Māori are the decision-makers and facilitators of the destiny of their own whānau, hapū and iwi.”
· Māori-specific authority over land, water and taonga: The climate policy proposes that adaptation planning “affirms tino rangatiratanga and upholds the mana motuhake of whānau, hapū and iwi over whenua, wai and taonga.”
The environmental policy similarly proposes: “affirm the role of tangata whenua as shared decision-makers and kaitiaki in the new resource management system.”
· Waitangi Tribunal given binding power over private land: “Increase resourcing for the Waitangi Tribunal, providing them with the power to make binding recommendations for the return of Crown and Private land to iwi, whānau and hapū.”
And:
“Facilitate the return of whenua outside of Treaty Settlements that was wrongfully alienated from tangata whenua,” including exploring a right of first refusal enabling the return of private land to iwi, hapū and whānau at point of sale.”
This is not an exhaustive list. For the full range of policies, see the Green Party 2026 manifesto.
Further references
· Green Party Complete Party Policy