February 23, 2023
Hipkins says treaty approach needed for recovery effort
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says solutions for Māori in the wake of recent weather events might go beyond co-governance.
While the idea of co-governance has become a political flash point, he says the concept over-simplifies what is a complex area.
Government needs to remember treaty principles.
“Yes, we need to work together, that’s one of the key notions in the Treaty. But actually Māori reserved the right, and preserved the right, for a good degree of self-determination in there as well. So that’s not so much about co-governance as it’s about making sure that the Crown is supporting a by-Māori for-Māori approach,” Mr Hipkins says hard-hit regions like Tairāwhiti and Tai Tokerau have significant Māori populations and economies, and Māori need to be heavily involved in the response and rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle.