Reviewing the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 will ensure the Waitangi Tribunal is best placed to continue serving the interests of Māori and all New Zealanders into the future, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says.
The New Zealand First and National Party coalition agreement includes a commitment to refocus the scope, purpose, and nature of the Tribunal’s inquiries back to its original intent.
“Over the past 50 years, the Tribunal has made significant contributions to the Māori Crown relationship and informed the settlement of both historical and contemporary Treaty claims impacting generations of whānau across the country.
“Given the progress of historical claims and settlements and concerns about the Tribunal’s current workload, it is timely to review the legislation that determines how it undertakes its inquiries.
“A review of the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 will ensure the Tribunal continues to effectively meet the intent of the legislation – considering claims relating to breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi – and providing timely, well-reasoned findings,” said Potaka.
An Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) will lead the review, supported by Te Puni Kōkiri. The review will consider whether the Act provides clarity around the Tribunal’s jurisdiction, how different types of claims are managed, and how the legislation aligns with other legislation.
The ITAG will be chaired by legal expert Bruce Gray KC, and will include senior public servant Kararaina Calcott-Cribb, lawyer David Cochrane, and respected Māori leader Dion Tuuta.
“The ITAG will engage directly with peak Māori and Iwi entities, Treaty law experts, and current and former Tribunal members to ensure that the right voices and perspectives are reflected in the recommendations they provide to ministers at the end of their review,” said Potaka.
“The review will ensure the Waitangi Tribunal remains focused, relevant, effective and fit for purpose not just for today, but for the generations to come.”
Engagement will begin in mid-2025 and continue throughout the review process. Advice will be provided to ministers, including NZ First Minister Shane Jones, by September 2025, with legislative proposals intended to be introduced before the end of the year.
Reviewing the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 will ensure the Waitangi Tribunal is best placed to continue serving the interests of Māori and all New Zealanders into the future?
How does the tax payer funded APARTHEID Waitangi Tribunal serve ALL New Zealanders Potaka?
Serve All New Zealanders what a load of crap serve themselves the leaches.
They waited a long time to get that ball rolling? It must be going to be an election issue.
Waitangi Tribunal review to begin mid-year:
The apartheid 1975 Treaty of Waitangi Act created the apartheid Waitangi Tribunal, a taxpayer funded corporation set up to benefit part Maori only, which breaches Article three of the Maori language treaty (The Treaty).
Its original brief was to hear and recommend ‘claims’ post 1975 as pre 1975 claims had been fully and finally settled in the 1930’s and 40’s. (The 1985 TOW Amendment Act fixed that glitch)
New Zealand citizens that cannot claim a minute trace of Maori ancestry cannot lodge a claim, participate, cross examine claimants or their researches or lodge an appeal and most hearings are held on a marae where Maori protocol is observed and oral evidence in many cases over rules documented evidence, especially from a ‘Maori elder’.
We started funding apartheid with the enacting of the 1975 TOW Act, which we never voted for or had a referendum on.