Summarised by Centrist
Political commentator Grant Duncan writes that the Waitangi Tribunal has sounded the alarm, warning of “revolutionary constitutional change” in its latest report.
The Tribunal scrutinised two of the government’s policies: a proposed Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill and a plan to review all legislation referencing the Treaty’s principles.
The kicker? The government didn’t bother consulting Māori on these moves, which the Tribunal says could lead to a seismic shift in how New Zealand is governed.
In a scathing letter, the Tribunal called ACT’s proposed Treaty Principles Bill “a solution to a problem that does not exist,” slamming its historical narrative as “disingenuous” and its Treaty interpretations as “novel.”
The Tribunal wasn’t shy about raising the stakes, warning that enacting such a Bill could undermine the Crown’s legitimacy—and by extension, the Tribunal’s own authority. But ACT leader David Seymour remains unfazed, welcoming the debate and dismissing the idea of a Treaty-based partnership as “divisive.”
The Tribunal’s bold recommendations, including the creation of a Māori-Crown relations committee, push the envelope on how far it can influence government policy.
Yet, according to Duncan, Parliament holds the ultimate trump card: the power to redefine the Tribunal’s jurisdiction.
However, any move to do so could ignite further conflict. With Te Pāti Māori submitting a Bill to make Tribunal findings binding on the Crown, and talk of a Tiriti-based upper house of Parliament, Duncan asks, “Are we witnessing the opening shots in a constitutional revolution?”
