Advancing an Aotearoa that embraces Te Tiriti.
The Green Party will put Te Tiriti o Waitangi at the heart of a modern Aotearoa founded on real partnership.
We envision an Aotearoa where our governing structures uphold the rangatiratanga of iwi and hapū, providing dignity for all. We can achieve this by demonstrating true partnership between tangata whenua and the Crown as intended by Te Tiriti.
Successive governments have consistently breached Te Tiriti. The resulting harm, lack of accountability and denial of Māori as equal partners mean that the Crown has not upheld its side of the partnership. When Te Tiriti breaches are ongoing, apologies for past harms are not enough.
It is our responsibility to acknowledge, take accountability and put right the wrongdoings committed by the Crown. These have led to worse outcomes for Māori in too many ways. We can’t allow government to pretend that everyone is equal in this country when the exact systems that were created to oppress Māori are still operating.
The Green Party understands that He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti are the foundation for an enduring constitutional partnership. We acknowledge the need for ongoing dialogue to build the awareness, understanding and vision that will give life to Te Tiriti in Aotearoa.
Our plan
- Amend the Treaty of Waitangi Act to recognise that Te Tiriti is the authoritative text and that Te Tiriti works in conjunction with He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni.
- Implement genuine Te Tiriti-based decision-making models across government and resource iwi and hapū to participate as partners rather than as advisors.
- Reform the Treaty Settlements process by amending the settlement policy guide for negotiators to enable fair negotiations and just reparations without ceding sovereignty, removing any clauses that refer to ‘Full and Final settlement’, ending the ‘large natural grouping’ approach to Treaty settlements, and validating hapū rangatiratanga.
- Increase resourcing for the Waitangi Tribunal, providing them with the power to make binding recommendations for the return of Crown and Private land to iwi, whānau and hapū.
- Facilitate the return of whenua outside of Treaty Settlements that was wrongfully alienated from tangata whenua, including through exploring a right-of-first-refusal process that enables the return of private land to iwi, hapū and whānau at point of sale.