With Māori unemployment climbing to its highest level in more than a decade, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi says the upcoming general election represents a critical opportunity for Māori to strengthen their political voice and push for structural change.
Speaking with Radio Waatea, Waititi linked the latest labour market figures to broader issues of economic inequality and Crown policy, arguing that Māori communities continue to bear a disproportionate share of economic downturns.
Recent Stats NZ figures show Māori unemployment has risen to 10.8 percent, almost double the national unemployment rate, while Māori rangatahi and regions such as Te Tai Tokerau have experienced some of the country’s highest levels of joblessness.
Waititi said the figures demonstrate the need for policies specifically designed to improve Māori employment, strengthen regional economies and invest in Māori-led development.
As Te Pāti Māori campaigns ahead of the election, one of its central constitutional proposals is to make Waitangi Tribunal recommendations binding on the Government.
Currently, most Waitangi Tribunal findings are recommendations rather than legally enforceable decisions, with governments retaining discretion over whether to implement them.
Waititi argues that giving the Tribunal binding powers would strengthen Crown accountability and ensure breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi are addressed more effectively.
The proposal forms part of Te Pāti Māori’s wider platform focused on increasing Māori self-determination, strengthening representation and embedding Te Tiriti more firmly within New Zealand’s constitutional framework.
Waititi also says the election comes at a time when Māori communities are facing significant pressures across employment, housing, health and the cost of living.
He believes those challenges require Māori-led solutions developed alongside iwi, hapū and whānau, rather than one-size-fits-all national policies.
The party has consistently argued that improving outcomes for Māori depends on recognising tino rangatiratanga and ensuring Māori have greater influence over decisions affecting their communities.
With political debate intensifying over issues including unemployment, local government reform and the future role of the Waitangi Tribunal, Waititi says Māori participation in the election will be critical.
He is encouraging Māori voters to enrol, vote and ensure their voices are reflected in the next Parliament.
As campaigning gathers pace, Te Pāti Māori is positioning itself as an advocate for constitutional change alongside practical action to address economic inequities affecting Māori communities.
For Waititi, rising unemployment and persistent disparities reinforce the importance of ensuring Māori representation remains central to national decision-making.
With election day approaching, he says the choices made by voters will help shape not only the country’s economic direction but also the future relationship between Māori and the Crown.
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