Former New Zealand First MP Pita Paraone says the election of three Maori to the party's nine member board at last weekend's conference, shows its commitment to tangata whenua.
They were: party leader Winston Peters, another former MP Bill Gudgeon and Hineraumoa Apatu of Hamilton.
Mr Paraone says support for New Zealand First in the Maori seats remains high and that's one of the reasons the conference voted to change the constitution so the party can go back to contesting them.
He told Waatea News that standing candidates in the Maori seats should increase New Zealand's share of the overall party vote.
