The co-leader of New Zealand’s Maori Party Rawiri Waititi says he would vote yes in Australia’s voice referendum, but the campaign shows why indigenous rights should not go to a poll in either country.

Mr Waititi is a self-described unapologetic radical but confessed pragmatic support for the referendum.

“The Voice is a good starting point but it still doesn’t go far enough,” he told AAP.

“I would absolutely vote yes and continue to push for greater representation and a greater voice for our brothers and sisters in Australia. I’m here 100 per cent to support them.”

The Voice referendum and the New Zealand election are both being held on October 14.

In New Zealand, Mr Waititi’s party are favoured to increase their vote from their result in 2020, of 1.17 per cent.

Maori-only parliament seats

That result is well below the five per cent threshold normally required to enter parliament, but the Maori Party enjoys representation in Wellington due to a feature of Kiwi democracy: dedicated electorates for Maori.

New Zealanders with Maori ancestry can opt to sit on either the general or Maori electoral roll, which determines whether they vote for one of 65 general or seven Maori electorate MPs.

Mr Waititi said the dedicated electorates were a stronger way to achieve an indigenous Voice than Australia’s proposed advisory body.

“Australia could do better,” he said.

“New Zealand is an example of how you can get true representation. (First Nations people) shouldn’t be just there as an advisory body.

“They should be part of the economic discussions for the country, the environmental discussions, the health, education, housing, wellbeing (discussions).

“Look over the ditch and see, it’s still not ideal in terms of the representation that was promised in the Treaty of Waitangi but it is an example of how there could be a greater voice.”

Indigenous issues are also live issue in New Zealand’s contest.

Right-leaning parties National, ACT and NZ First, who are favoured to win, have pledged to scrap the Maori Health Authority, and a power-sharing arrangement known as co-governance.

The right-wing libertarian ACT party also wants to hold a referendum on the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s foundational document, signed in 1840 between Maori chiefs and the British Crown.

Lost in translation

The treaty was signed in both English and Maori language, te reo, with translation differences – including whether Maori ceded sovereignty – unresolved.

ACT leader David Seymour argues a referendum could allow present day New Zealanders to define the treaty’s key articles as “principles” to move forward.

Mr Waititi said the Australian experience was evidence why New Zealand should run a mile from ACT’s proposal.

“I hate the fact that you put the fate of a voice for indigenous peoples in the hands of the majority who are non-indigenous,” he said.

“ACT and David Seymour wants to go to referendum on Treaty principles but there are no such thing as treaty principles, there are only treaty articles.

“If you just look at the words, in the contract in the Tiriti o Waitangi you will find that there have been huge breaches.”

The Maori Party has returned MPs at five of the six elections since its foundation in 2004.

It supported John Key’s National-led government from 2008-2017, but now leans left and has indicated support for Labour at this contest.

-AAP