Co-governance

Real change means one set of laws for all New Zealanders.

ACT says that no one should be treated differently based on who their ancestors were.
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New Zealand is being transformed into a country where your rights depend on who your ancestors were.

We are at a constitutional crossroad. In one direction is liberal democracy, the familiar formula that the country as we know it was built upon. In the other direction is co-governance, a prescription of power sharing between one ethnic group and all others.

Labour is pushing its co-governance agenda through a range of laws:

The Māori Health Authority means healthcare is being prioritised by race, not by need.

The Three Waters reforms still include 50:50 co-government of centralised water services.

Ngāi Tahu can appoint two voting members to the otherwise democratic Canterbury Regional Council.

Oranga Tamariki is required by law to honour the Treaty when making decisions about Māori children in state care.

Ethnicity is used to prioritise and even restrict access to healthcare services.

ACT's solution
for real change

ACT believes that New Zealand must remain a proud, multi-ethnic liberal democracy where we are all alike in rights and dignity.

ACT would make three major changes to alter New Zealand’s constitutional course:

  1. Clearly define the “principles of the Treaty of Waitangi” a term increasingly creatively interpreted to justify co-governance, by passing a Treaty Principles Act through Parliament and putting it to referendum for confirmation by the people.
  2. Reverse race-based policies such as Three Waters, the Māori Health authority, undemocratic local government representation, and Resource Management law that requires consultation based on race.
  3. Reorient the public service to target need based on robust data instead of lazy ethnicity-based targeting.

ACT has a vision of a society in which no one is treated differently based on who their ancestors were.

ACT's Vision
We are a party that believes in universal human rights. As a matter of principle, no person should be treated differently based on who their ancestors were. One person, one vote. It's that simple.
Karen Chhour
ACT MP
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