Associate Justice Minister David Seymour has introduced the Treaty Principles Bill to Parliament today, aiming to define the Treaty of Waitangi’s principles in legislation for the first time since they were introduced in 1975.
The Bill, set for its first reading next Thursday, seeks to bring clarity to principles that have historically been interpreted by the courts and the Waitangi Tribunal.
According to Seymour these interpretations have sometimes led to controversial policies, such as co-governance in public services and ethnic quotas, which he argues challenge the principle of equal rights. Parliament defining these principles will offer stability and encourage national dialogue on the Treaty’s constitutional role.
The Bill proposes one key change: narrowing principle two to specify that the rights of hapū and iwi differ from general rights only when they’re part of a Treaty settlement. This adjustment Seymour explained follows concerns that the previous wording was overly broad.
While the Bill won’t alter the Treaty itself, it will guide how “Treaty principles” are considered in interpreting legislation.
Seymour highlighted that the Treaty should be seen as a unifying document, underscoring equal rights and the government’s duty to protect them.
New Zealanders will have a chance to provide input on the Bill during the Select Committee stage.
“Principle 2: (1) The Crown recognises, and will respect and protect, the rights that hapū and iwi Māori had under the Treaty of Waitangi/te Tiriti o Waitangi at the time they signed it. (2) However, if those rights differ from the rights of everyone, subclause (1) applies only if those rights are agreed in the settlement of a historical treaty claim under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975.”
Looks like the above “Principle 2” has been hijacked by the Corporate Iwi, rendering it null and void as far as I am concerned.
No one has the right to rewrite Lt Governor Hobson’s One Treaty Principle, “He iwi tahi tatou – we are now one people”. Any principle other than Lt Governor Hobson’s is a fraud and must be ignored at all costs! Lt Governor Hobson gave one Principle, “He iwi tahi tatou – We are now one people”. It’s a documented fact that cannot be denied or changed!
Let’s not forget where the previous government was leading this nation into.
1. Race based privilege with separate hospitals and better health care for Maori
2. Raced based 3 waters ownership and the right to charge for resources to non-Maori citizens.
Can you imagine that nonsense working?
The bill is called principles to guide us as no race has any right to be above another race. Now if you are Maori, and you were in line for an easy ongoing gravy train for nothing, I can see how pissed you would be with David when he is trying to cancel that.
I wonder if NZ is ever going to be brave enough to set down similar principles for our gender imbalance.