Te Kōhao Health Managing Director Lady Tureiti Moxon says the Waitangi Tribunal’s findings on the Government’s Treaty reform agenda should serve as a wake-up call, warning that attempts to weaken Te Tiriti o Waitangi will have lasting consequences for Māori health, wellbeing and the relationship between Māori and the Crown.
Speaking with Dale Husband on Radio Waatea, Lady Moxon said the Tribunal’s report confirmed what many Māori organisations, iwi and community leaders have been saying for months—that the Government’s proposed reforms are inconsistent with Te Tiriti principles and risk undermining decades of progress.
The Waitangi Tribunal recently found that aspects of the Government’s Treaty reform programme breached the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, prejudiced Māori, and damaged the relationship between Māori and the Crown. The report also questioned the consultation process, concluding that Māori had not been meaningfully involved in decisions that directly affect their rights and interests.
Lady Moxon said the findings reinforce the importance of honouring Te Tiriti not simply as a historical document, but as a living constitutional agreement that continues to shape public policy and government responsibilities today.
She said the Tribunal’s conclusions extend beyond constitutional debate, with direct implications for health, education, housing and social services. In her view, weakening Treaty commitments inevitably weakens the systems designed to improve outcomes for Māori communities.
As one of Aotearoa’s most prominent Māori health advocates, Lady Moxon has long argued that Māori-led health services consistently deliver better outcomes because they are grounded in tikanga, whakapapa and the aspirations of whānau. She said those approaches require partnership with the Crown rather than policies that reduce Māori participation in decision-making.
The interview also explored the wider direction of health policy in Aotearoa. Lady Moxon said equity cannot be achieved without recognising the distinct status of Māori under Te Tiriti and ensuring Māori organisations have a genuine role in designing and delivering services.
She warned that recent policy changes risk reversing gains that have taken decades to build and could deepen existing inequities if Māori voices continue to be sidelined.
Lady Moxon said the Tribunal’s report should not be viewed as simply a legal finding but as an opportunity for the Government to reset its relationship with Māori and recommit to genuine partnership.
With the 2026 General Election approaching, she believes the future of Te Tiriti and Māori participation in public decision-making will become defining issues for voters, particularly as political parties present competing visions for the country’s constitutional and social future.
For Lady Moxon, the Tribunal’s report confirms that protecting Te Tiriti is inseparable from protecting the health and wellbeing of Māori communities.
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