UNITY
Honouring Te Tiriti
Opportunity takes the responsibility of the Crown as a Treaty partner seriously.
We believe it is critical that all governments honour the commitments that have already been made. Our position is to ensure that all legislation gives proper effect to Treaty obligations.
In addition, we will advocate for a balanced and transparent national conversation about the long-term place of Te Tiriti within New Zealand's constitutional arrangements. And we will remove barriers that constrain Māori economic development and empower Māori-led organisations to deliver more services to support their communities.
Our goal is to replace recurring conflict with practical partnership, long-term certainty, and local, Māori-led solutions that close the outcomes gap and deliver a stronger future for everyone.
Better outcomes for Māori will come from more collaboration, not conflict.
THREE PILLARS FOR HONOURING TE TIRITI
Pillar 1
Honour the commitments that have been made
Treaty settlements are long-term commitments, made by the Crown and by claimant groups alike. Treaty obligations also arise differently across areas of law. To meet these commitments in practice, Opportunity will:
- Honour existing Treaty settlements, ensure Crown agencies give effect to the commitments they contain, and complete outstanding historical settlements fairly and efficiently.
- Restore the customary marine title settings that applied before the 2025 changes, providing greater stability and certainty for groups seeking recognition under the Marine and Coastal Area framework.
- Make Treaty analysis a stronger part of transparent, high-quality lawmaking, so Parliament and the public can see what obligations were considered and how they influenced the proposal.
Pillar 2
Address the long-term questions properly
New Zealand has unresolved long-term questions about the relationship between parliamentary democracy, Te Tiriti and the exercise of rangatiratanga. Opportunity will address these questions through careful deliberation and seek legitimate agreement that will last for generations.
- Support a national constitutional conversation about the long-term place of Te Tiriti within New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements.
- Use deliberative democratic processes, including the principles developed through Opportunity’s Citizens’ Voice policy, to enable informed public participation.
- Ensure Māori participate as a Treaty partner in any process directly concerning the Treaty relationship, alongside wider democratic participation.
Opportunity opposed the recent Treaty Principles Bill. We believe that any constitutional change should follow a process that is informed, transparent and capable of building broad public confidence.
Pillar 3
Back rangatiratanga in practice
A stronger Māori economy creates jobs, income and opportunity that directly narrow the gap in health, education, housing and justice. We recognise that Māori-led organisations are often best placed to deliver services in their own communities. To back Māori enterprise and shift responsibility closer to communities, Opportunity will:
- Work with Māori asset owners, lenders and investors to improve access to capital, supporting finance models based on project income, lease income and other security where a conventional mortgage doesn't fit.
- Ensure Māori businesses can fully access Opportunity's innovation, investment, commercialisation and export policies.
- Support giving Māori organisations more control over decisions and services in their communities, where this leads to better results. This means genuine independence to act (not just responsibility without power).
- Longer-term funding for organisations that have a strong track record, so they can invest with certainty and plan for the future.
Opportunity believes in greater Māori agency with clear expectations around results, financial management and transparency.
