Waitangi Tribunal releases second report on Treaty Principles Bill

In a recently released report the Waitangi Tribunal has found that the Crown’s Treaty Principles Bill, “...would be the worst, most comprehensive, breach of Treaty/te Tiriti in modern times” if enacted.

This follows the Tribunal’s earlier preliminary report which recommended that the Crown abandon its Treaty Principles Bill.

In a strongly worded report, the Tribunal has found that the Bill, even if not enacted, “would still be an appalling breach of Treaty principles for the Government to have developed these principles unilaterally and introduced them to Parliament, telling New Zealanders that these principles represent the meaning of the Treaty/te Tiriti.”

The Tribunal noted the exclusion of Māori in the development of the Treaty Principles in the Bill, and further that the Bill: 

• is not evidence based; 
• fails regulatory standards; and 
• ignores advice from Crown officials. 

Have your say on the Bill

The Crown introduced the Bill to Parliament on 7 November 2024. 

The Bill had its first reading in Parliament on 14 November 2024. It has been referred to the Select Committee who are now calling for submissions on the Bill from the public. See more information about the select committee process here.

The Select Committee is an important part of the law-making process, where you get the opportunity to have your say on the proposed law. You can make a submission to the Select Committee before the closing date on 7 January 2025.

If you require any assistance to make a Select Committee submission, it can be helpful to speak to a professional who works in the relevant area of law.