The Green Party is calling on the Government to support its proposed amendments to leave Treaty provisions in the Corrections Bill.
“Treaty provisions are needed to demonstrate a sincere and genuine commitment to reducing the over-representation of Māori throughout our justice system,” says the Green Party’s Spokesperson for Justice Tamatha Paul.
“Taking Te Tiriti provisions out of the Corrections Bill goes against the recent recommendations of the Waitangi Tribunal.
“When introduced last term, this Bill took an important step towards addressing the inequities of our corrections system by inserting Treaty provisions into the Corrections Act. But the current Government removed these at select committee without any opportunity for feedback, as part of their ongoing, ideological attack on Te Tiriti.
“Cultural connection is a powerful and important tool in promoting rehabilitation. We know that legacies of colonisation and disconnection from culture have played a role in fuelling the over-representation of Māori throughout the justice system.
“Despite the fact that Māori make up just 16 per cent of the general population, somehow we make up 51 per cent of the prison population, making us one of the most incarcerated indigenous peoples in the world. Corrections must accept responsibility for their contributions to this shameful statistic, something which my amendment would ensure.
“The Waitangi Tribunal was clear in its advice: the Government must abandon the Treaty Principles Bill and stop tampering with Treaty Clauses in legislation.
“Te Tiriti must play a central role in healing our communities from the inter-generational trauma they have suffered at the hands of colonisation. Upholding and embracing Te Tiriti is how we address the disparities that we see not only in our prisons, but across society.
“The Green Party will continue to fight to ensure our corrections system enables access to culture and mātauranga, so Māori who are incarcerated can begin to rebuild their lives,” says Tamatha Paul.
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