Pitched as putting decisions about takatāpui, Māori of diverse genders and sexualities, in takatāpui hands, Te Pāti Māori's Mana Takatāpui policy would set up an independent commission with $200 million of ring-fenced funding.

📋 Te Pāti Māori: Mana Takatāpui, September 2026 →

What it does

• Creates an independent Takatāpui Commission, governed by takatāpui, with power to allocate funding to community organisations. Co-leader Rawiri Waititi said it would work in a similar way to Whānau Ora.
• Commits $200 million over three years, which Waititi said would come from existing budgets: $100 million from Health, $50 million from Social Development, $40 million from Housing and $10 million from Vote Māori.
• Te Puni Kōkiri would pay out the funding each year with no ministerial discretion over the amount or timing, and the commission would report publicly every year and be independently audited.
• Guarantees gender-affirming healthcare in the public health system, including hormone therapy, primary and specialist care and pathways to surgery where clinically indicated, and protects intersex takatāpui from medically unnecessary intervention.
• Also invests in takatāpui-led mental health and suicide prevention, safer housing, protection from violence and hate, and connection to te reo, tikanga and marae.
• Background: in November 2025 the Government halted new prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria until a UK clinical trial reports, with Health Minister Simeon Brown saying a "precautionary approach" was needed. Te Pāti Māori condemned that decision.