Treaty of Waitangi, first signed between British Crown, 500 Maori chiefs, lays down how two parties agreed to govern
\n WELLINGTON
\nNew Zealand\u2019s parliament on Thursday comprehensively rejected a bill aimed at reinterpreting the principles of the country\u2019s founding agreement following months of protest and debate over the place of indigenous Maori in the Pacific nation.
\nThe Treaty of Waitangi, first signed in 1840 between the British Crown and more than 500 Maori chiefs, lays down how the two parties agreed to govern. The interpretation of clauses in the document guide legislation and policy today.
\nThe failed bill was a policy of David Seymour\u2019s ACT New Zealand party, which garnered 8.6% of the party vote at the 2023 election.
\nSeymour had said the purpose of the Treaty Principles Bill was for parliament to define the principles of the treaty, provide certainty and clarity, and promote debates on its place in constitutional arrangements.
\nIn coalition negotiations, ACT\u2019s governing coalition partners National and New Zealand First had committed to support the bill through the first of three readings but had said they would not support it into law.
\nThe law, needing a simple majority to pass its second reading, failed with 112 votes against it and just 11 votes for it.
\n\u201cThe Treaty Principles Bill is dead. Our movement for Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) justice lives on,\u201d said Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, whose party did not support the bill. \u201cInstead of dividing and conquering, this Bill has backfired and united communities across the motu (country) in solidarity for our founding agreement and what it represents.\u201d
\nThe bill has garnered significant attention. In November, tens of thousands of people marched on New Zealand\u2019s parliament as a show of opposition to the bill, in what was one of the largest protests ever in New Zealand. A deluge of submissions to the committee considering the bill followed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Treaty of Waitangi, first signed between British Crown, 500 Maori chiefs, lays down how two parties agreed to govern WELLINGTON New Zealand\u2019s parliament on Thursday comprehensively rejected a bill aimed at reinterpreting the principles of the country\u2019s founding agreement following months of protest and debate over the place of indigenous Maori in the Pacific nation. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":471768,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-471737","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n