Lady Tureiti Moxon | off to the UN we go

Dale Husband Lady Tureiti Moxon | Te Kōhao Health Managing Director

Download Audio

Lady Tureiti Moxon has filed a complaint to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) today. The only other CERD complaint filed concerning government actions in Aotearoa New Zealand about the New Zealand Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004.

Lady Tūreiti Moxon (Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa and Kāti Kā Tahu descent) is a prominent Māori health leader, lawyer and advocate. She has spent decades championing Māori health equity, Māori-provider organisations, and the recognition of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi (“the Treaty”) principles in New Zealand’s health and social-service systems.

As Managing Director of Te Kōhao Health and Chair of National Urban Māori Authority, she has built Māori-led health models. In 2024 she received an honorary doctorate from University of Waikato in recognition of her contributions. She has been plaintiff/claimant in multiple Waitangi Tribunal proceedings, including for disability support rights and for the inquiry into Māori health services (Wai 2575).

In November 2025, Lady Moxon filed a formal complaint to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) under its Early Warning and Urgent Action procedure, alleging systemic discrimination against Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand.

• The submission is about 42 pages long, supported by around 185 footnotes, indicating extensive documentation.

• Lady Moxon asserts that since late 2023 a number of government actions have reversed previous progress toward fulfilling NZ’s obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

• The complaint requests that the working group responsible for Early Warning and Urgent Action meet with her before or during CERD’s 116th session (17 Nov – 5 Dec 2025) when New Zealand is up for review.

The allegations include:

• A “significant and persistent pattern of political racial discrimination against iwi Māori”.

• Government actions such as the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora (the Māori Health Authority), repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989, and use of urgency in legislation that bypasses full consultation.

• The alleged sidelining of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori participation in decision-making, embodying “hostile policies and grave statements” by political leaders.

RELATED NEWS

Willie Jackson on why the Government needs to change Ken Laban wrapping up the weekend sports Oriini Kaipara on the Tamaki Makarau by election