Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board regularly makes submissions on legislation and regulations that could impact Ngāti Tūwharetoa whānau, hapū, and the iwi as a whole. The latest such oral submission is on the Treaty Principles Bill, which the Trust Board strongly opposes due to its threat to Ngāti Tūwharetoa rangatiratanga and its undermining of the foundations of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
In January, the Trust Board lodged a written submission outlining its concerns, and this week; representatives presented an oral submission to reaffirm their stance. The Bill seeks to redefine Treaty principles without the involvement of iwi and hapū, disregarding decades of established legal precedent and creating significant uncertainty.
Of particular concern is the Bill’s potential impact on the Taupō Waters Deeds, which affirm Ngāti Tūwharetoa’s legal ownership and kaitiakitanga over Taupō Waters, rights that exist independently of Treaty settlements. The Bill also risks undermining long-standing agreements with the Crown, weakening Treaty obligations, and fostering division through misinformation and anti-Māori rhetoric.
Watch our oral submission from the 8:20 mark via the NZ Parliament website.
Read our full written submission: Submission on Treaty Principles Bill (PDF)