Greens Want a $2.44 Billion Fund for Marae — Here's What That Means
The Green Party wants the government to spend NZ$2.44 billion over four years to set up a trust that would fund marae across Aotearoa. The trust would be owned and run by hapū (sub-tribes) and iwi (tribes), not by the government.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson announced the policy. It would create Te Rangatiratanga Trust, which would have two parts. The first is a NZ$2 billion fund called Te Tōtara Haemata, designed to invest in marae and their communities over the long term. The second is a NZ$400 million fund called Te Rākau Whakarauora, which would give marae money right away for urgent needs. Setting up and running the trust itself would cost about NZ$40 million. (RNZ)
Davidson said marae were critical infrastructure — the kind of essential facilities a community relies on, like roads or hospitals. She said marae needed dependable funding so they could keep responding to weather emergencies and supporting communities. The party said the trust would help marae with planning, housing, social services and health services. The long-term fund, once it had grown over time, could earn between NZ$47 million and NZ$118 million, Davidson said.
A key part of the proposal is that the government would not be able to control the trust. The Greens said the government could not direct where investments go, appoint trustees, change funding decisions or interfere with how the trust runs, beyond normal laws that apply to everyone. Hapū and iwi would make all the decisions about where the money goes.
The party would hold wānanga — community meetings for discussion and planning — around the country to set up the trust. Iwi Māori would design how the trust works before any money is spent.
In recent years, marae have repeatedly stepped in as emergency centres during severe weather events, especially across the North Island. When floods or cyclones hit, marae have opened their doors to feed people, shelter them and coordinate help. The Greens are saying marae should be treated as essential infrastructure, not just cultural gathering places. Right now, marae often rely on one-off grants or emergency government payments after a disaster. This policy would give them a permanent funding source instead.
The two funds work differently on purpose. The NZ$400 million restoration fund is for immediate needs — fixing damage after a flood or cyclone, for example. The NZ$2 billion intergenerational fund is designed to grow over time through investment returns, so marae would have a steady income for building projects, maintenance and services.
The bigger question is whether the numbers add up and whether other parties would support it. A NZ$2.44 billion commitment is a large amount of government spending. The Greens would need enough influence after the election — either through holding ministerial roles or through a coalition agreement — to make the policy happen. The expected returns from the long-term fund are given as a range, and the policy does not say how long it would take for that fund to reach its full value.
The way the trust is governed is also likely to draw scrutiny. Most government-funded organisations are ones where ministers can appoint board members and set direction. Under this proposal, those powers would sit with hapū and iwi instead. Whether potential coalition partners would accept that level of independence is an open question.
For the Greens, the policy does two things. It offers a concrete way to deliver something Māori have long asked for — steady, reliable marae funding. And it tests whether voters and other parties are comfortable with a Māori-governed entity that the government cannot directly control. How that goes over will depend on the election campaign ahead.
