The Opportunity Party’s Treaty policy is closer to Labour than National. But is it a bottom line?
If the Opportunity Party holds the balance of power after the election, its ‘honouring te Tiriti’ policy could be a deal maker – or breaker.
The Opportunity Party's stance on the Treaty of Waitangi policy appears to be more aligned with Labour than National, according to recent polls. If the party gains nine seats in the upcoming election, it could potentially form a coalition with Labour and the Greens, keeping all three parties - Te Pāti Māori, ACT, and NZ First - out of government.
However, the party's policy on the Treaty of Waitangi is vague and lacks detailed proposals. Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong describes the party as centrist and open to working with either Labour or National. Yet, the party's commitment to "honouring te Tiriti" could pose challenges in working with ACT or NZ First due to their differing views on the Treaty.
The Opportunity Party proposes a land value tax to redistribute wealth and fund a universal basic income. They also plan to include Māori history and the Treaty of Waitangi in the education system. While these policies could be seen as supportive of rangatiratanga, their implications for Māori land and revenue are not clearly defined.
The party has also suggested implementing citizens' assemblies to make long-term policy decisions, which could potentially lead to Māori views being sidelined. Despite these challenges, the Opportunity Party believes that a citizens' assembly could provide a stronger voice in public policy, separate from the Crown's influence.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
