Te Pāti Māori is demanding urgent changes to the draft Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) framework, calling it a dangerous step backwards for Takatāpui, trans, and rainbow rangatahi.

“This draft erases Takatāpui voices, ignores whānau diversity, and delays consent education. It’s not just inadequate, it’s unbelievably unsafe” said Te Pāti Māori Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

The draft excludes Takatāpui or trans identities, frames gender in binaries and postpones meaningful consent teaching to later years. It also makes no effort to affirm our same-sex or gender-diverse whānau.

Te Pāti Māori is calling for:

• Takatāpui-led co-design of the curriculum
• Consent education from primary school
• Explicit inclusion of rainbow whānau
• Tikanga-based, inclusive sexuality education
• Funding for kaupapa-led teacher training

“We need education that reflects all our tamariki. Silence is not safety” said Ngarewa-Packer.

Submissions close Friday 9 May. Te Pāti Māori urges whānau and communities to speak out.

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