The Government has agreed to amend 19 pieces of legislation to ensure references to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi are clear and consistent, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
“Over the last 30 or 40 years, Parliament has made all sorts of references to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. Sometimes it’s ‘honour’, or ‘have regard to’, or ‘give effect to’, or ‘take into account’. We need to create some consistency here, in the interests of increasing certainty and supporting compliance. A core foundation of our success as a nation is predictability in the law. …
“The Government has agreed to amend two references to be more specific, repeal seven references, and specify no higher standard than to ‘take into account’ should be used in provisions to the Treaty of Waitangi across ten acts.
“The Government has also agreed a reference to both the Treaty of Waitangi and te Tiriti o Waitangi is preferable and should be used in all relevant provisions going forward.
“These decisions have been made as a first step. Conversations will continue around how this review could go further in the future.
This is all good and sensible stuff. My only criticism is it comes two and a half years in. This should have been a priority for the first 12 months.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
5 comments:
Why now? Because an election is looming. In reality ethnic, indigenous "kumbaya" is not making our country great. In the same way it didn't work in the US, Britain or Australia.
Those countries have seen the light. In Britain alone, over 43 major terrorist attacks have been uncovered and prevented. This is not acceptable to the citizens. Sad( or not) to say, policies need to be "all inclusive" not race based. One national identity is more stable and desirable. We are "New Zealanders". Whether the politicians like it or not, citizens in other countries are wanting cohesion and unity. Why try to revert to the Stone Age? All the Treaty references need to be scrapped. The best politicians, Peters, Jones and Seymour will always be hampered by their part-Maoriness I suspect. They won't proceed with maximum intensity.
With New Zealand it will be a slow process forward.
Yes good news but what about the other hundreds of places the treaty is mentioned????????????
It's just electioneering. Luxon and Goldstein - sorry, Goldsmith - have realized how National have lost their support base and are now trying to talk like Winstone, but if they are back in power it will be Finlayson stage two.
What Principles ?
None are mentioned in the Treaty.
They are fictional, recently invented in the past few decades.
Until, Luxon and Goldsmith have actually honored the Treaty as it is written, removed every last special concession to Maori demands, I wouldn't believe them.
We have been badly burned by this National Caucus - until they really make good on their previous election promises, they will not get my vote.
Agree with Anon 10.20AM. When they go back and sort out the 1975 Treaty Act I'll believe National is worthy of trust. It will never happen!
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