Democracy Action wants a New Zealand where every citizen is equal in political rights and responsibilities, the law applies equally to everyone, and democratic government is accountable to the people.
We believe New Zealand’s democracy should be grounded in the following enduring principles:
- Equal citizenship: every citizen has equal political rights and responsibilities.
- Equality before the law: the law applies equally to everyone.
- One person, one vote: every vote must have equal value.
- Parliamentary sovereignty: laws must be made by Parliament, accountable to the people.
- Democratic accountability: government decisions must be transparent and subject to public scrutiny.
- Public consent: fundamental changes to our constitutional arrangements must have a clear democratic mandate.
- Freedom of expression: citizens must be free to question, criticise and disagree.
- Fair public services: public services are delivered fairly to all New Zealanders.
- Political neutrality: public institutions serve all New Zealanders fairly and remain politically neutral.
- Property rights: private property is protected by law.
We call on all political parties to commit to this vision and enact policies that uphold these principles in government. We believe these are the foundations of a fair, democratic New Zealand in which all citizens have an equal voice and equal standing under the law.
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Democracy Action is non-partisan. We do not endorse political parties. We ask all parties and candidates seeking election to consider committing to the following principles.
1. Equal citizenship
Every New Zealander should have equal political rights.
Democracy depends on the principle that every citizen's vote carries equal weight and that political rights are based on citizenship, not ethnicity or ancestry.
We call on the next Government to:
- Ensure that political rights and representation are based on citizenship rather than ethnicity or ancestry.
- Oppose separate political institutions or voting rights based on race.
- Ensure that all New Zealanders are subject to the same democratic rights, responsibilities and laws.
- Review legislation that creates different political rights or forms of representation based on ethnicity.
2. Restore representative democracy
Elected representatives should be accountable to the people who elect them.
We call on the next Government to:
- Strengthen the principle that elected representatives, rather than unelected organisations or individuals, make decisions on behalf of the public.
- Remove arrangements that give unelected representatives or organisations decision-making powers beyond those available to other citizens.
- Ensure that local and central government remain accountable to voters.
- Ensure that appointments to public bodies are based on merit, competence and relevant expertise.
- Protect the integrity of democratic elections.
3. Transparent and accountable government
Citizens cannot hold government to account if they cannot see what government is doing.
We call on the next Government to:
- Increase transparency in government decision-making.
- Strengthen the Official Information Act and ensure timely disclosure of government information.
- Reduce unnecessary withholding of information on the grounds of confidentiality.
- Strengthen accountability for agencies that fail to comply with official-information obligations.
- Publish agreements between government bodies and external organisations where those agreements affect public policy or decision-making.
- Require greater transparency around consultation with iwi, hapū, lobby groups and other organisations where that consultation influences government decisions.
- Ensure public authorities operate under clear democratic accountability.
4. Protect Parliament's role
Parliament — not the courts, government agencies or international declarations — must determine New Zealand's laws.
Parliament is the institution through which elected representatives exercise the democratic mandate given to them by voters.
We call on the next Government to:
- Protect parliamentary sovereignty and accountability.
- Ensure that New Zealand law is determined by legislation enacted by Parliament and the common law.
- Ensure that significant policy decisions are made through properly debated and scrutinised legislation.
- Ensure delegated powers cannot be used to circumvent the democratic legislative process.
- Strengthen scrutiny of legislation affecting fundamental rights, democratic representation or constitutional arrangements.
5. Democracy in local government
Local citizens should choose their representatives and be able to hold them accountable.
We call on the next Government to:
- Maintain equal voting rights for all citizens in local government.
- Return local government decision-making to democratically elected representatives.
- Eliminate race-based agreements and policies from local government.
- Require councils to make significant governance arrangements publicly transparent.
- Ensure public consultation is accessible to all residents and does not give preferential participation to particular ethnic groups.
- Remove Māori wards and constituencies from local government.
- Restore elections based on equal representation for all residents and introduce in-person voting only.
- Amend Auckland Council's governing legislation to disestablish the Independent Māori Statutory Board (Houkura)
6. Reform co-governance and shared decision-making
Government should be accountable to the entire population, not divided into separate systems of political representation.
We call on the next Government to:
- Remove co-governance arrangements from central government, local government and public organisations.
- Remove provisions that give iwi or hapū representatives permanent or preferential decision-making rights.
- Ensure consultation and participation mechanisms are open and transparent.
- Where Māori interests require particular consideration, ensure this is achieved without undermining equal citizenship or democratic accountability.
- Ensure elected councils retain ultimate accountability for decisions made using public resources.
7. Review Treaty references in legislation
References to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi have been incorporated into New Zealand legislation without a consistent statutory definition or clear democratic mandate.
We call on the next Government to:
- Complete the review of references to Treaty principles in legislation promised in the National–New Zealand First Coalition Agreement.
- Remove references to the "principles of the Treaty of Waitangi" from legislation unless Parliament expressly defines them.
- Interpret Treaty obligations according to legislation enacted by Parliament rather than evolving judicial or administrative interpretations.
- Replace or repeal provisions that create undefined or unequal constitutional obligations.
- Ensure Treaty references do not create new rights or obligations based on ethnicity.
8. No constitutional change by stealth
Fundamental constitutional change should be deliberate, transparent and democratically authorised.
Changes to New Zealand's constitutional arrangements should not be introduced through obscure statutory provisions, regulations or administrative arrangements without proper public scrutiny.
We call on the next Government to:
- Ensure constitutional arrangements remain subject to democratic control by Parliament and New Zealand citizens.
- Improve public consultation on constitutional matters.
- Reject the use of vague statutory principles, regulations or administrative arrangements to introduce major constitutional changes without proper public scrutiny.
- Ensure any new constitutional principles have a clear statutory definition and democratic mandate.
- Ensure changes to the distribution of political power are openly debated and clearly presented to the public.
- Require a binding referendum for fundamental constitutional changes, with at least 75% public support.
9. Restore the rule of law
Parliament makes the law; courts interpret it.
We call on the next Government to:
- Reaffirm Parliament's primary role in making law.
- Ensure legislation is interpreted according to its words and the intent of Parliament.
- Clarify that judges should interpret legislation rather than create new legal principles beyond Parliament's intent.
- Ensure tikanga Māori does not operate as an independent source of law
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10. Ensure government institutions are politically neutral
We call on the next Government to:
- Require government agencies, Crown entities, professional regulators, publicly funded institutions, licensing bodies and statutory authorities to remain politically neutral.
- End the use of public institutions to promote political or ideological positions unrelated to their statutory functions.
- Ensure professional regulators focus on competence, public safety, ethics and professional standards rather than political or ideological conformity.
- Ensure public services are accessible to all New Zealanders on an equal basis.
11. Protect freedom of expression
A healthy democracy requires citizens to question government policy, challenge prevailing ideas and debate contentious issues without fear of institutional punishment.
We call on the next Government to:
- Protect freedom of speech and open political debate.
- Ensure government agencies and professional bodies do not penalise people simply for expressing lawful political views.
- Protect academic freedom and intellectual diversity in publicly funded institutions.
- Ensure public consultation processes genuinely allow disagreement.
12. Fair and transparent resource management
Environmental protection and sustainable resource management should operate within a clear and democratically accountable legal framework.
We call on the next Government to:
- Ensure resource-management legislation provides clear and predictable rules.
- Protect property owners from arbitrary or poorly scrutinised restrictions.
- Ensure classifications, overlays and restrictions on private property are transparent and subject to proper appeal rights.
- Ensure iwi participation arrangements do not become mechanisms for transferring permanent decision-making power outside elected government.
- Remove race-based consultation requirements and customary claims from resource-management laws so that everyone has an equal say.
- Remove race-based entitlements to charge for consultation or approvals.
- Ensure natural resources, including water, are managed for the benefit of all New Zealanders, regardless of race, ancestry or religion.
Property rights
- Strengthen statutory protection for private property.
- Require fair compensation where government actions substantially diminish property rights.
- Increase transparency and notification requirements where landowners may be affected by planning or heritage decisions.
13. Treaties and international agreements must not bypass Parliament
International agreements should not be used to introduce domestic constitutional or legal obligations without explicit Parliamentary approval.
We call on the next Government to:
- Ensure international agreements do not create domestic legal rights or obligations without legislation passed by Parliament.
- Ensure international declarations do not override decisions made by New Zealand's democratically elected Parliament.
- Where an international agreement refers to instruments such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), make clear that such references do not, by themselves, give those instruments the force of New Zealand law.
- Withdraw New Zealand from UNDRIP and end government policies and activities that advance the recommendations of He Puapua.
Democracy belongs to everyone
Equal citizenship. Equal votes. Equal rights. Equal responsibilities. One law for all.