What’s going on?
Over the last 18 months in Parliament there has been a continued pattern of undermining our foundation document, the Treaty of Waitangi | Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Te Tiriti is Us began its work last year with a campaign focussing on the positive values of unity, aroha, sharing, fairness, promise keeping and partnership. We opposed both the Treaty Principles Bill and the Regulatory Standards Bill that were foisted on Parliament by coalition deals.
We managed to sink the Treaty Principles Bill. The Regulatory Standards Bill is currently going through the Select Committe process. It has received over 130,000 submissions from New Zealanders, with the majority so far opposed to the bill.
There's more work to be done
The latest attack on our founding document, is Māori representation in local and regional government.
Māori representation in local government
Māori have historically been under-represented in local government. Māori participation was hampered by the Local Electoral Act 2001, which required a binding local poll to be held if a council decided to establish a Māori Ward or constituency. This condition was removed in 2021. Since then, Māori representation in local government has increased from just three councils with Māori wards or constituencies to 34, plus seven regional councils.
What is happening this year and why?
Binding polls have been brought back in this year's local government elections. It's a coalition deal with New Zealand First to introduce the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2024.
Under this legislation, all voters will have to decide whether to keep or remove their council's Māori wards or constituencies.
