Richard Prebble: Abolish the Tribunal, Preserve the Treaty

ACT will complete the historical Treaty claims filed before 1 September 2008, end the Waitangi Tribunal’s contemporary jurisdiction, and wind it up once its historical work is finished, announced ACT Leader David Seymour.

I was a member of the Lange Government that extended the Tribunal’s jurisdiction back to 1840. Despite the difficulties that decision created, on balance I think it was the right decision.

We should be proud that New Zealand was founded not by conquest, but by treaty.

Pee Kay, Why Every New Zealander Should Fear a Ngai Tahu Victory

The Trial that could re-shape New Zealand’s future and why the Ngai Tahu case threatens NZ democracy!

There will be many people around New Zealand awaiting a hugely significant High Court judgment in the Tau v Attorney-General action, expected before the November 7th election. This case has the potential to spark significant political anxiety, conflict and certain Maori action regarding freshwater rights.

The case concerns Te Maire Tau’s argument that Ngai Tahu never ceded authority over freshwater and they are seeking a co-governance regime rather than mere compensation. I have no doubt they are actually mean “co-governance… for now!”

Geoff Parker: Who Should Govern New Zealand's Freshwater – Parliament or the Courts?

Open Letter To:

The Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister - Christopher.Luxon@parliament.govt.nz
The Hon Nicola Willis - Nicola.Willis@parliament.govt.nz
The Rt Hon David Seymour - Deputy Prime Minister - David.Seymour@parliament.govt.nz
The Hon Nicole McKee - Nicole.McKee@parliament.govt.nz
The Hon Paul Goldsmith - paul.goldsmith@parliament.govt.nz
The Hon Winston Peters - Winston.Peters@parliament.govt.nz
The Hon Shane Jones - Shane.Jones@parliament.govt.nz

Dear Prime Minister and Ministers,

New Zealand is awaiting what has been described as one of the most constitutionally significant court decisions in recent history.

The High Court's pending judgment in Tau v Attorney-General concerns Ngāi Tahu's claim that its rangatiratanga over freshwater was never extinguished and should be recognised through a new regime for the regulation, governance and allocation of freshwater resources.

Bob Edlin: High Court ruling in quarry case calls for consenting panels to apply “a Treaty lens”....

High Court ruling in quarry case calls for consenting panels to apply “a Treaty lens” and be careful to consider iwi CAARs

On the Breaking Views blog today, Steven Gaskell draws attention to the Waitangi Tribunal’s decision that the Government’s review of Treaty clauses in 23 laws is a breach of the Treaty itself.

According to Gaskell, the tribunal is saying nobody may tamper with “the sacred text” – or rather, “the sacred principles of a text that never actually mentioned any principles in the first place”.

Bob Edlin: Kiwis don’t need a Constitutional Court to crimp our elected law-makers.....

Kiwis don’t need a Constitutional Court to crimp our elected law-makers – we already have judges who do that

Thailand’s Constitutional Court reminds us of how judges can be politically powerful. It has removed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office, ruling that she “lacks the qualifications and possesses prohibited characteristics” under the Thai constitution.

As the ABC reported, her dismissal flings the country into political instability.

Steven Mark Gaskell: Water Wars - When “Co-Governance” Becomes “You Sit Down, We’re in Charge”

Well, here we go again. Another round of “give us control” dressed up as cultural justice.

This time, it’s Ngāi Tahu marching into the High Court demanding rangatiratanga over freshwater. That’s not just some symbolic title—they want the power to make, regulate, alter, and enforce water decisions. In other words, they want to hold the hose, write the rules, and charge you rent to drink from your own tap.

Centrist: Ngāi Tahu fights Crown in court over freshwater co-management

In a case that has major implications for co-governance, Ngāi Tahu is suing the Crown in a landmark High Court case to force co-management of South Island freshwater resources.

The government, however, is pushing back hard, arguing that Ngāi Tahu’s claims have no legal standing beyond historical settlements.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 17/6/24

Govt’s overhaul of our firearms laws was well signalled – but health workforce data might cause some surprises

An announcement that the government will overhaul New Zealand’s firearms laws was posted on the Beehive website after Point of Order last monitored what our ministers are doing.

But firearms aficionados could see this coming. If they couldn’t, they should not be licensed.

Mike's Minute: The High Court Gave the Waitangi Tribunal a Serve

The High Court has seen sense and upended the Waitangi Tribunal's summons to minister Karen Chhour over her desire to remove a clause in Oranga Tamariki's terms of business.

Of course, this should never have got to where it has.

The High Court judge said the decision does not mean they can't summon people in future. That is the bad news. He also said it doesn’t diminish the tribunals standing.

That I am afraid, in my eyes, is wrong as well.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 25/4/24

Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Waitangi Tribunal’s summons

A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night.

It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it.

David Farrar: High Court quashes Waitangi Tribunal summons

The Herald reports:

The High Court has ruled Children’s Minister Karen Chhour cannot be compelled to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal.

In a just-released decision, Justice Andru Isac granted the Crown’s application for judicial review, setting aside the summons issued by the tribunal.

Cam Slater: SFO Loses Third Case: Time to Rein Them In

Yesterday the SFO lost their appeal in the Court of Appeal in the long-running NZ First donations case. This is the third case the SFO has lost and it is not surprising as they tried to shoehorn Electoral Act offences into criminal charges. The Court of Appeal was having none it, and now Winston Peters is seeking an apology for their behaviour.

Mike Butler: Hut burning and tribal control

A purge of colonial buildings in the Urewera park which shows that tribal co-governors act like wolves in sheep’s clothing came to an immediate halt today courtesy of the High Court.

The ruling comes after applicant Wharenui Clyde Tuna sought to halt what he described as “the hasty destruction by fire of the hut network throughout Te Urewera”.1

“Between the burning down of the Kanohirua hut at the end of October 2022, the applicant believes between 15 and 20 huts have been burnt down by employees or contractors of the second respondent [Trustees of Tūhoe – Te Uru Taumatua],” the judgement said.

Mike Butler: Pre-colonisation, warts and all

That colonisation benefited Maori should be self-evident and there should be no need for a book such as The Benefits of Colonisation by Adam Plover. Sadly, a concerted and prolonged smear campaign by the decolonisation/Maori sovereignty movement has confused some so Plover wearily spells it all out in systematic and comprehensive manner.

The way to establish whether or not colonisation brought benefited or harm, according to Plover, simply is to look at how Maori were living pre-1840, and then look at progress after contact with new people, new ideas, new products, and a new way of life.

We can know how Maori lived before 1840 by reading evidence recorded by visitors from Britain at that time. These written accounts are readily available and include:

Guy Hatchard: The High Court of New Zealand Ducks Responsibility

A Conspiracy of Silence and a Litany of Lies

The Director General of the Danish Health Authority, who last week halted Covid-19 vaccination for under 18 year olds citing absence of any evidence of benefit, has been giving interviews.

He acknowledged that the prescription of Covid vaccines for young people had been a mistake and said they never would have approved them if they had known then what they know today.