The Maori Party has drafted a bill to protect the Maori seats, saying support for it would be a bottom line in any post-election coalition negotiations.
Co-leader Tariana Turia said the party's members bill to entrench the seats would ensure the same protection in legislation for the Maori electorates as the general seats already have.
The legislation would require a 75% majority in Parliament or a majority in a referendum of voters on the Maori electoral roll to repeal or amend the Maori seats.
The announcement was made at the Maori Party's launch of its treaty policy in Christchurch on Wednesday.
Mrs Turia said retaining the Maori seats is a constitutional matter, and the government should go back to Maori people to determine their future.
She said the Maori Party will be pushing which ever party wins the election for the entrenchment of the Maori seats.
"We're still making those decisions about how far we are prepared to push these issues, but why wouldn't we push for the entrenchment of the seats otherwise we have no reason to be there."
Mrs Turia said support for the legislation would be a bottom line issue in any post-election negotiations.
National Party leader John Key said its position remains that it will go into discussions with any party after the election in good faith, but said National still wants to start the process in 2014 to abolish the Maori seats.
Labour leader Helen Clark said her party is committed to Maori determining fate of Maori seats.
The Maori Party's policy also calls for a Parliamentary Commissioner for the Treaty, and that immigrants are taught New Zealand and Pacific history before settling in the country.
The policy includes a provision that all Maori over the age of 18 are automatically entered on the Maori electoral roll.
Mrs Turia says originally all Maori people were on the Maori roll, and says it was changed to give power to others, rather than Maori.
