Te Pāti Māori would make Waitangi Tribunal recommendations binding rather than advisory, establish a Parliamentary Commissioner for Te Tiriti, and require every Bill before Parliament to carry a Te Tiriti Impact Statement. The problem they identify is structural: the Tribunal can investigate, hear evidence and make findings, but a government can simply ignore them. It sits under their wider Mana Motuhake commitment to Te Tiriti-based constitutional change.
The central change. The Waitangi Tribunal would move from making recommendations a government can decline to act on, to making findings that bind. The party frames the current arrangement as a flaw in Aotearoa’s constitutional arrangements rather than a failure of any one government.
A new office, named as one of three mechanisms alongside binding findings and impact statements. The announcement establishes that it would exist but does not set out its powers.
Every Bill before Parliament would have to include one — the third mechanism, aimed at putting Te Tiriti into the legislative process at the point a law is written rather than after it is challenged.
It responds to a call by New Zealand First to review the Waitangi Tribunal, made after the Tribunal found the Government’s Treaty clause review was a major breach of Te Tiriti. Co-leader Rawiri Waititi’s argument is that a government told by an independent watchdog that it has breached Te Tiriti should address the breach rather than investigate the watchdog.
Under Mana Motuhake, which commits to Te Tiriti-based constitutional change, strengthening Māori political authority and governance structures, and progressing land back and rangatiratanga commitments. The stated reasoning for constitutional entrenchment is that without it, every gain can be undone by the next government.
“The Waitangi Tribunal can investigate, hear evidence and make findings. But governments can simply ignore them.”
“That is why Te Pāti Māori will make Waitangi Tribunal recommendations binding, establish a Parliamentary Commissioner for Te Tiriti, and require every Bill before Parliament to include a Te Tiriti Impact Statement.”
“It is about accountability. When an independent watchdog tells the Government it has breached Te Tiriti, the Government’s job is to address the breach, not attack the watchdog.”
“If governments can ignore the Waitangi Tribunal every time they don’t like the answer, what accountability is left?”
Points the document defers or leaves undefined. These are gaps in the document, not criticisms of the policy.
Which party holds a published position on which topic.
Swipe across to see all 11 topics — the party column stays put.
| Party | Economy | Housing | Health | Education | Climate | Environment | Crime & Justice | Treaty & Māori Affairs | Immigration | Foreign Policy | Democracy & Government |
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