November 15, 2023
Treaty reset inevitable
New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones says the Waitangi Tribunal – and the courts – need to start listening to parliament.
While ACT has made a referendum on the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi an issue for coalition talks, there is no indication of support from New Zealand First.
But Mr Jones says he understands ACT leader David Seymour’s unease about some of the current interpretations.
He says a reset is coming.
“We’re not going to have a situation where the Maori language version of the treaty, te tiriti, is the exclusive version or indeed is given semi-religious significance. We’ve got to bring some balance back and that’s why the Waitangi Tribunal writ needs to be reviewed and indeed the liberalisms being shown by the courts in terms of interpreting the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, we want the courts to go back to the hole they historically occupied which is to rule on the law, not make the law,” Mr Jones says.
He says the real challenge for the new Government is to grow the economy, and Maoridom has a key role in that.