New Zealand to Introduce Policy to Reinterpret Founding Document, Reports Reuters

By Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand announced on Wednesday its plan to draft a bill aimed at reinterpreting the country’s founding agreement, the Treaty of Waitangi, despite two of the three governing parties indicating they will not support the bill’s passage into law.

The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 between numerous Māori chiefs and the British crown, establishes principles for governance agreed upon by both parties. These principles continue to inform legislation and policy today and are central to claims of Māori sovereignty.

Associate Justice Minister David Seymour stated that the cabinet has approved the drafting of the Treaty Principles Bill, which seeks to redefine the understanding of those principles. This legislation is expected to be introduced in parliament later this year.

"The purpose of the Treaty Principles Bill is to have Parliament clarify the principles of the Treaty, provide certainty and clarity, and encourage a national dialogue about their role in our constitutional framework," he explained in a statement.

Seymour highlighted that the bill will affirm the New Zealand government’s complete authority to govern and legislate, recognize the rights of Indigenous peoples, and ensure that all individuals are treated equally under the law.

This initiative is part of Seymour’s ACT New Zealand party, which received 8.6% of the party vote in the recent election.

Although coalition partners, the National Party and New Zealand First, initially agreed to support the legislation through its first reading, both parties have now expressed their intention not to back it beyond that stage. Opposition parties are also against the bill, significantly diminishing its chances of becoming law.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reiterated on Monday that his party remains opposed to the bill after its first reading.

The proposed legislation has sparked controversy, as many Māori and their allies perceive it as a threat to the rights of Indigenous peoples, who comprise approximately 20% of New Zealand’s population of 5.3 million.

In recent decades, Māori culture and identity have undergone a revival, partly due to policies aimed at correcting historical injustices perpetrated by colonial governments. Nevertheless, Māori communities continue to face significant social and economic challenges.

ACT and other critics argue against "co-governance," the practice of sharing certain management responsibilities between the state and Indigenous peoples, claiming that non-Indigenous citizens suffer due to policies tailored for Māori advancement.

Since taking office last year, the current coalition government has commenced the reversal of various policies instituted by prior administrations, especially those promoting the official use of the Māori language and the improvement of Indigenous living standards and rights.