‘Step in right direction’ — kaiwhakahaere
NZNO kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said the new constitution was a “step in the right direction” in a longer bicultural journey for the organisation.
In the Matike Mai bicultural model, which underpinned the new constitution, there were three elements: Kawanatanga (executive/elected leaders), tino rangatiratanga (self-determination for Māori) — and the “relational” sphere where both came together.
“While there are steps towards . . . a bicultural way, it’s still in an early journey towards actualising a Matike Mai model where there is true self-determination within Te Rūnanga [NZNO’s Māori member network) sphere.”
Nuku said the new NZNO structure was more inclusive but it remained to be seen how the relationships worked in practice.
“We can put a structure in place but if you’re not talking to one another or sharing the reciprocity or equalising of mana, then it won’t go any further and it will cause people lots of headaches.”
Conversely, if it was well-implemented, it could be truly transformational, she said.
“The more we do that, the more we can start to push ourselves into different spaces and truly start to embrace a more inclusive way of implementing a bicultural way of working.”
Mātike Mai was developed by Auckland professor of Māori studies Margaret Mutu and the late constitutional lawyer Moana Jackson — a long-time supporter of Te Rūnanga o Aoteareoa NZNO.
Co-chair of NZNO’s constitutional review panel, Grant Brookes, said NZNO had taken a “big leap forward as a democratic, member-driven union based firmly on Te Tiriti o Waitangi”.
The new constitution will bring a new structure for NZNO. Regional councils and the national membership committee will be replaced by local organising groups which will partner with NZNO Te Rūnanga (Māori council) members to create new rōpū (groups) called ngā hapū.
The chief executive role will be replaced with that of national secretary and and board of directors by a national executive, to bring NZNO into line with “more egalitarian” union structures, the panel’s presentation outlines.
NZNO’s Māori governance board, Te Poari, will have equal status and decision-making power with the national executive.
The panel has said the new structure would bring a more unified, egalitarian, democratic and te Tiriti-led organisation.
The new constitution has been five years in the making, after members voted to review the existing constitution in 2020.
Since then, a constitutional review panel, with an equal mix of NZNO board and Te Poari members, has been drafting a new foundational document, in consultation with members and membership groups around the motu.
‘NZNO has taken a big leap forward as a democratic, member-driven union based firmly on Te Tiriti o Waitangi.’
On April 7, 2025, member groups at an NZNO special general meeting agreed to put the proposed new constitution to a member ballot. This followed the endorsement of the proposed draft constitution by NZNO’s Te Rūnanga on April 4 at a special hui ā-tau.
It then went to an all-member vote on May 20 run by independent election management company, electionz.com.
By the close of a nearly month-long ballot on June 17, 10.75 per cent of NZNO’s 62,132 eligible members had voted — 6680 people. Of them, 3340 voted for the new constitution and 2503 against it. Another 837 abstained.
Drawing on a bicultural model developed by Matike Mai for a new national constitution for Aotearoa, the NZNO proposal would see Te Poari continuing to exercise tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) for its Māori members through its Te Rūnanga arm.
The NZNO national executive would govern other members and a partnership body of both called the “joint hui” would meet at least three times yearly to make shared decisions on major issues.
‘Huge’ amount of work
Brookes said members could be “very proud” of taking a strong stand which would bring new opportunities to achieve NZNO’s Maranga Mai! goals for a more equitable and safely staffed health system, with a representative and fairly paid nursing workforce.
NZNO president Anne Daniels acknowledged the “huge” amount of work involved with the review over the past five years, as the panel sought member feedback through NZNO annual general meetings and regional conventions.
‘It’s my hope that by being a more inclusive, more open . . . we will be able to find innovative and different ways of engaging members.’
“It’s my hope that by being a more inclusive, more open and also working together much more appropriately from a cultural safety and partnership point of view, we will be able to find innovative and different ways of engaging members — no matter where they work or who they work for.”
Daniels told Kaitiaki while pleased the new constitution had been supported by members, voting engagement was low as was often the case for leadership and constitutional matters.
“That’s an important challenge for us as an organisation to turn around.”
The panel members are Grant Brookes (board), Kathryn Chapman (Te Poari), Nayda Heays (Te Poari), Isla Taunoa (Te Poari), Nano Tunnicliff (board) and Simon Auty (board). Kathryn Chapman replaced Tracy Black as co-chair late last year.
Next steps
NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter said work to register the new constitution with the Register of Incorporated Societies was underway. It would come into effect on the date registration is confirmed, but it is not yet clear how long that will take.
‘ The more we can start to push ourselves into different spaces and truly start to embrace a more inclusive way of implementing a bicultural way of working.’
Goulter said members had voted in a ground-breaking constitution which meant NZNO would become a genuinely bicultural organisation.
Now the mahi would begin to implement the new structure, he said.
The new, yet-to-be registered, constitution can be viewed on the NZNO website here.
More detailed coverage and background can be found here: Proposed constitutional shake-up would see ‘more egalitarian’ and te Tiriti-led NZNO.