Government weakens Te Tiriti obligations in law
The Government’s Te Tiriti legislation changes aren’t just technical tweaks — they’re a quiet downgrade of Treaty obligations across 23 laws. And the fact it was done behind closed doors tells you everything about how fragile this rewrite really is.
The Green Party is condemning the Government’s weakening of Te Tiriti o Waitangi provisions across multiple pieces of legislation.
“Pushing through these sweeping changes in secret shows this Government is a dishonourable Treaty partner,” says Green Party MP Tamatha Paul.
What the Government’s Te Tiriti changes actually do
Documents seen by Paul outline Cabinet’s decision to amend Treaty provisions across 23 pieces of legislation.
Under the changes, the standard of Treaty obligation would be reduced to no higher than “take into account”.
Treaty references in other laws would be repealed entirely. The decisions were made in February but never publicly announced at the time.
“The Government’s changes diminish the mana of Te Tiriti by making it a mere consideration as opposed to something that must be honoured.”
“It also conflates Te Tiriti o Waitangi with the Treaty of Waitangi, but these two documents are worlds apart in their meaning.”
“The fact that the Government tried to do this without telling anyone speaks volumes. They know this is wrong.”
“Provisions that currently require decision-makers to ‘give effect to’ or ‘honour’ the principles of Te Tiriti will be gutted.”
“No one was consulted in this process. Māori, iwi, hapū, even the general public, have been left out.
“It’s abhorrent that this Government consistently makes sweeping decisions about Te Tiriti without engaging its Treaty partners.”
Ignoring the Waitangi Tribunal — again
“The Waitangi Tribunal found the Crown’s process would breach Te Tiriti and said the review should be refocused with full engagement and inclusion of Māori in decision-making. The Government ignored both warnings.”
“The Green Party will continue, as we always have, to uphold Te Tiriti and the promises that were made over 180 years ago,” says Paul.
Since this “failed” CoC no longer has the numbers, why can’t they be stopped from “ramming through” their endless anti Maori changes, across multiple pieces of legislation? STOP THIS NOW. It’s undemocratic, disgracefully dishonest and so typical of this scurrilous CoC – like a wrecking ball, hell bent on doing as much damage as they can before they implode. To change any legislation should be a majority decision not a spiteful, sneaky one! Why isn’t our legislation protected and why is our media so mute? Thank God for TDB. Such a huge amount for the ‘new broom’ to rescind!