January 10, 2026

#SummerSeries | Te Tiriti Is Not Up for Redefinition – A Moment That Echoed Around the World Part Two

Matthew Tukaki Posted On January 10, 2026

As part of our #SummerSeries on Radio Waatea, we’re reflecting on a moment that reshaped political debate in Aotearoa — and how that moment was seen around the world.

The movement that grew in opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill was not only historic in scale, but deeply revealing of who we are as a nation – and how others see us.

As Matthew Tukaki reports, this was a moment defined by people power, by voices long ignored, and by a collective refusal to accept the rewriting of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

That message travelled far beyond our shores.

International media took notice.

The BBC noted that while the principles of Te Tiriti have never been fully defined in law, their values have been steadily woven into legislation as a way of addressing the harms of colonisation.

CNN reported that tens of thousands of people – predominantly Māori – took to the streets to oppose the bill, which sought to redefine an agreement signed more than 180 years ago between Māori and the Crown. The outlet highlighted how the proposal made global headlines after a video went viral of the country’s youngest MP tearing the bill in two and leading a haka in Parliament.

The Guardian described the hīkoi to Parliament as one of the largest protest marches in New Zealand’s history – with Parliament grounds flooded by song, unity, and resistance.

In total, the number who marched was estimated at around 100,000 people.

But as voices heard in the video make clear, the movement was never just about one march, or one bill.

Speakers reflected on how the proposed legislation reignited long-standing tensions between Kāwanatanga and Rangatiratanga, and how many Māori experienced the bill as yet another attempt to undermine Te Tiriti by reframing it as a barrier to governance rather than the foundation of the nation.

Those voices describe how, in response, Māori and allies mobilised at an unprecedented scale – not just on the streets, but through the Crown’s own processes.

Later reporting confirmed the depth of that response. The Justice Select Committee heard from 529 oral submitters over 79 hours, and received more than 307,000 written submissions. Around 90 percent opposed the bill, with only 8 percent supporting it. The volume was so large it reportedly crashed Parliament’s website.

As heard in the video, contributors described this as a moment that forced everyday New Zealanders – many submitting for the first time – to step into civic action. Lounge rooms became submission hubs. Kitchen tables became sites of resistance. Waatea was there, recording those voices as they spoke directly to power.

Legal experts, former political leaders, and rights organisations also joined the opposition. Former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley described the bill as reckless and deeply destabilising. The Law Society, the Human Rights Commission, and dozens of senior lawyers warned it would do lasting damage.

In the video, Lady Tūreiti Moxon reflects on how unnecessary – and dangerous – the entire process was. She describes a country placed on “red alert,” not because of public unrest, but because of a government willing to reopen foundational agreements for political gain.

She reminds listeners that Te Tiriti is a covenant – a promise – and that one partner cannot simply decide to change it in their own favour.

Other voices in the video speak of urgency and responsibility – that while yesterday has passed and tomorrow remains uncertain, now is the moment to act, to persist, and to do the work required to protect what matters.

The bill may have failed – but, as the video makes clear, the struggle is not necessarily over.

Questions remain about whether similar proposals could resurface as the country moves closer to the 2026 election, and what vigilance will be required to ensure Te Tiriti is upheld, not undermined.

In the next part of our #SummerSeries, Radio Waatea looks ahead – at what may come next politically, and what this movement has permanently changed in Aotearoa.