Govt to review Treaty of Waitangi clauses in 28 laws

Summarised by Centrist

The coalition government, led by NZ First and National, is pushing forward with a plan to review or remove Treaty of Waitangi provisions from 28 pieces of legislation. 

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith told Newsroom there had been “a habit of forming, of just throwing in a Treaty reference – a very broad one – in every piece of legislation that was coming along without much thought as to what the actual consequences of that would be or wouldn’t be”.

Goldsmith says the goal now is to clarify or eliminate vague Treaty references, many of which have created legal uncertainty.

“We’re trying to honour Treaty commitments, while at the same time, never losing sight of the basic expectations of people living in a modern, democratic society, primarily to be treated equally and to have equality before the law,” he said. 

The review will focus on laws such as the Resource Management Act and the Education and Training Act, with changes expected to follow. 

While the government says it’s aiming for consistency, critics argue this is a full-scale attack on Māori rights and Te Tiriti. Green Party spokesperson Tamatha Paul warns that removing these provisions will harm Māori outcomes in areas like prisons, where Māori are over-represented. 

The government acknowledges the sensitivity of the issue and says it will consult widely before proceeding.

Read more over at Newsroom

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