Submissions

To: Justice Committee
Date: January 2025

Purpose of the bill

The purpose of the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill is to set out the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in legislation, and require, where relevant, those principles to be used when interpreting legislation. The bill proposes the following principles.

Summary of DPA's submission

DPA recommends that the Bill be withdrawn.

DPA strongly opposes the proposed Treaty Principles being put to referendum. 

DPA opposes this Bill as it is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Hobson’s document, the existing Treaty Principles, and the surrounding legal context.

DPA additionally opposes this Bill on the basis that it will have a disproportionately negative impact on tāngata whaikaha/hauā disabled Māori, and on disabled people who are tāngata Tiriti.

DPA considers that enacting this Bill would amount to a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi itself and strongly opposes the Bill on this basis.

Our submission addresses the following:

1. The impact of the Bill on Te Tiriti o Waitangi
2. The impact of the Bill on disabled people & disability rights
3. Concerns with the objectives of the Bill
4. Concerns with the proposed Principles.