Writing a Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill Submission

Nā Janelle Riki-Waaka

We will have to read the intent, not the words…

• The use of the word ‘Treaty’ as opposed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi seeks to undermine Te Tiriti o Waitangi (which is recognised in International Law), and instead preferences The Treaty of Waitangi.
• ‘The right to govern all New Zealanders’ - this is (in theory), already the case and again, it undermines articles 1 and 2 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• ‘When they signed the treaty’ - not te Tiriti and not now. They’re protecting their rights under the treaty, not Māori rights under te Tiriti which dismisses the rights of Māori and the intent of Article 2 in Te Tiriti o Waitangi - the guarantee that Māori would retain their tino rangatiratanga. This states that Māori can only exercise their tino rangatiratanga under direction of the government as they can change legislation at will.
• ‘All New Zealanders are equal’ seeks to prevent ‘by Māori, for Māori’ initiatives and the rights of iwi to mana motuhake. This could also have serious implications for current and future treaty settlements.

1. Mihi
• Introduce yourself, pepeha, whakapapa etc.
• Bit of background about your organisation, mahi, whānau history, relationship to te Tiriti o Waitangi etc.
2. Whakahē katoa
• What do you want the government to do? What’s the ask?
• Make a bold, clear and strong statement stating your stance. E.g. “I/we are in strong opposition to the proposed Treaty Principles Bill currently under consideration and recommend that the Bill be withdrawn immediately.”

• Whakamārama i ō whakaaro me ō take
• Provide an explanation about why you are in opposition to the bill.
• Include evidence, links to research and reasoning to support your stance.
• He aha ngā whakaaweawe mā tātou?
• State what you believe the impact will be on you, kaiako, ākonga, your whānau, Aotearoa… should this bill progress.
• How this might affect how you meet your Te Tiriti Teaching Standard requirements.
• Kōrero Taunaki
• Your recommendations, proposition
• ​

• Your submission will be made publicly available.
• Make sure you know you are happy to have your ingoa whānau next to your submission!
• State your position clearly & focus on the bill.
• Professional and unambiguous language.
• Use bullet points, keep it clear, concise & accurate.
• Make sure it makes sense to someone who has limited understanding.
• Give good reasons that link to our history and our tikanga. Make it personal.

1. Mihi

2. Whakahē katoa

• Pepeha / mihimihi
• Intro - who this submission is on behalf of. NOTE: If you are writing on behalf of your PPTA branch, include the branch name and the number of members.
• “If you are writing for an organisation, give brief details of the organisation’s aims, membership, and structure. Make sure that you have the authority to represent the organisation and note your position within the organisation.”
• A bit of personal/organisational history/connection/expertise related to te Tiriti o Waitangi. E.g. My Koroua X is one of the signatories…. OR As kaiako we are obliged to uphold te Tiriti o Waitangi…

Make your BIG, BOLD, CLEAR statement.

I/we vehemently oppose…..

Instead of ‘strongly’ try…

3.-4. Whakamārama - reasons why, impact

• What is wrong with the bill?
• What evidence do you have or that you drew on to lead you to oppose the bill?
• What harm/impact could this bill have should it be successful? And for who?
• How do you know, what leads you to believe this?

5. Kōrero Taunaki - Your recommendations

• What recommendations do you wish to make?
• What do you wish was happening instead or will happen now?
• Reiterate your bold statement and then summarise your why.

​

Who’s on the Justice Select Committee

(who will be receiving written and oral submissions on the Treaty Principles Bill)

Submissions close on Tuesday 7 January 2025

• You can write a submission and upload it. PDF it!
• You can type a brief submission into the submission form.
• You can request an opportunity to speak to the committee in person
• “If you wish to appear before the committee, include with your name your daytime telephone number and email address. If you wish others to appear in support, include their names and, if representing an organisation, designations.”
• DO NOT copy someone else's submission. They have processes to spot copies and they will not be considered. Reword, revise, adapt.
• You can do a submission personally, and as part of an organisation.

Example: Extract from our submission

My/our comments

We at Riki Consultancy are in strong opposition to the proposed Treaty Principles Bill currently under consideration and recommend that the Bill be withdrawn immediately. We believe this bill poses serious risks to the principles of democracy, legal certainty, and social cohesion.

The Bill grossly misinterprets this country's founding document, te Tiriti o Waitangi, which guaranteed Māori their continued tino rangatiratanga or absolute authority and self-governance. The intent of te Tiriti o Waitangi was for the peaceful co-existence of two sovereign nations. This Bill directly undermines Aotearoa's founding document and seeks to exacerbate the post colonisation trauma that Māori continue to experience to this day.

Example: Extract from our submission

My/our recommendations

Riki Consultancy Ltd recommend the following:

1. Nationwide Wānanga about te Tiriti o Waitangi (Kāwanatanga) - We recommend the current government invite iwi leaders and representatives to the table for a wānanga about how te Tiriti o Waitangi is enacted.
2. Equitable partnership between the Government and Tangata Whenua (Ōritetanga) - We recommend that systems and processes are put in place to ensure that the rights of Māori are equitably represented in all matters that will impact the citizens of Aotearoa, NZ.
3. Education for the nation (Mātauranga) - In partnership with Tangata Whenua we recommend that significant funding and resource is allocated to the creation of content that will support the citizens of Aotearoa to better understand our nation's history and the importance of te Tiriti o Waitangi.
4. Kaitiakitanga - In partnership with Tangata Whenua we recommend that the current government put systems, processes and legislation in place so that future governments cannot, and will not seek to reinterpret te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Example: Rawiri Waretini-Karena

Ngāti Māhanga, Ngāti Māhuta, Ngāti Kaahu, Ngāti Hine

“I OPPOSE the Treaty Principles Bill because Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a living embodiment of a contract between two sovereign nations, the British, and the United Confederation of Chiefs. – Māori.

It is an agreement to live and coexist together enabling the British to look after their own people. It is my submission that Te Tiriti o Waitangi is inclusive of everyone, because when Hobson signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840, he signed it on behalf of the British as well as future generations that will come to these shores.

This ensures that even if you are of Asian, European, African, or Pasifika, or any other immigrant descent, you are automatically Tangata Tiriti, and have a significant inclusive role to play in our country.

In Te Paparahi o Te Raki findings, Te Wakaminenga (United Confederation of Chiefs) envisioned Hobson becoming part of Te Wakaminenga making laws together for Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Link to article here

Example Statement 1

“We should all oppose the newly proposed Tiriti Principles Bill because it distorts and diminishes the true intent and significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, undermining mana motuhake for Māori.

By redefining the principles of Te Tiriti without meaningful engagement with Māori, this bill will takahi on the mana of te Tiriti and the rights of Māori. This bill disregards the spirit of equitable partnership and protection that Te Tiriti represents.

This legislation prioritises political agendas over people and risks entrenching historical injustices rather than honoring the pathway to equity, justice, and respect that Te Tiriti o Waitangi embodies for Māori.”

Example Statement 2

“Te Tiriti o Waitangi is not just a document; it is a sacred covenant, a whakapapa of partnership forged between Māori and the Crown.

The newly proposed Tiriti Principles Bill attempts to reinterpret and reshape this covenant without our mana or voice. This is a breach of tapu—it disregards our tino rangatiratanga and fails to honor the wairua and intent of Te Tiriti as gifted by our ancestors. The Crown’s responsibility is to uphold its end of this kawa, this sacred duty, to protect our people, lands, language, and tikanga.

We oppose this bill because it seeks to redefine our legacy without us, stripping away the essence of Te Tiriti and dismissing our standing as tangata whenua. To tamper with this covenant without true partnership is to threaten the balance, respect, and trust that Te Tiriti was built upon.”

Example Statement 3

“Our tūpuna entrusted the Crown with a solemn commitment—he kawenata tapu, a sacred covenant to protect our lands, our people, and our way of life. Our people upheld our side with faith that our tino rangatiratanga would be respected.

This new Tiriti Principles Bill dishonors that trust, breaking the very promises we agreed upon, and excludes our voices from decisions about our future. It was not our agreement that the Crown would dictate to us alone but rather that we would walk forward together, bound by whakapapa and mutual respect.

To reshape Te Tiriti without honoring our place and partnership is to betray the essence of what we signed for. We stand against this bill because Te Tiriti was, and is, our shared pathway to kotahitanga and prosperity for all.”

Rauemi Tautoko

1. Te Pāti Māori Guidance Resource here
2. Green Party Guide here
3. PPTA Submission Guide here
4. Koekoea on Facebook has recorded webinars and great support resources too - here
5. Riana Te Ngahue (Ngāti Porou) - lawyer. Check out an article about her mahi here and her Tik Tok account here.

Make your submission here