What is co-governance?

Co-governance has been a hotly contested topic this election, with parties on the right, particularly Act, strongly against. So, what is it?

• Co-governance refers to joint management in decision making between the two Treaty of Waitangi partners, the Crown and Māori, both having equal seats around the decision-making table.

Rather than shared ownership, it is about partnership in management and the process requires consensus between the parties.

• It has been in practice for more than a decade, in the form of Treaty settlements that created partnerships between iwi, local and central government to manage natural resources. For example, five iwi and the Crown manage the Waikato River Authority. Māori wards in local councils are another example of co-governance and are becoming the norm – at the 2022 local elections, six of the 11 regional councils had Māori constituencies and 29 of the 67 territorial authorities had Māori wards.

Co-governance is also a key part of the Three Waters reforms – the plan is for mana whenua to have equal representation with local councils in a governance group. This group would have high level oversight over a board charged with operational management, but no operational authority.

• Supporters see co-governance as part of the Crown meeting its Treaty obligations and/or as a way to interpret Treaty principles of partnership, participation and protection, acknowledging the nation’s colonial history.

Opponents say it is divisive and anti-democratic.