Summarised by Centrist
New Zealand’s ongoing debate over the Treaty of Waitangi has exposed deep divisions, with polling suggesting strong public support for ACT’s Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, despite opposition from political parties and media coverage.
Data presented by market researcher Geoff Neal of The Facts to Parliament’s Justice Committee showed that most Kiwis feel the country is becoming more divided.
Treaty issues now rank as the fourth most important issue for voters—just behind healthcare.
Neal argued that public trust in politicians, the media, and institutions like the Waitangi Tribunal has collapsed, leading many to seek clarity on the Treaty’s role in law.
Neal’s submission focused on polling data showing broad public backing for defining Treaty principles in law. A Curia poll commissioned by ACT showed 2-to-1 support for the bill, with even stronger backing among National and New Zealand First voters.
Neal also notes only 6% of Kiwis trust journalists to provide accurate information on the Treaty. He pointed out the Code of Broadcasting Standards, which does not require taxpayer-funded news to be presented impartially or without bias.
“Probably more important is the statistic that 38% of us would rather avoid the debate so as to not upset others. We’ve really failed as a nation to foster healthy democratic discourse when we’ve got one-third of us too scared to talk about it,” he said.
