Waitangi Tribunal says NZ Treaty reforms breach principles, urges pause

The Waitangi Tribunal concluded that the New Zealand Crown breached several principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi by approving reforms that would repeal or weaken Treaty protections across 18 pieces of legislation. The tribunal said the changes were based on a flawed rationale, lacked supporting evidence, and were made without meaningful engagement with Māori, prioritising coalition commitments over informed policy.

The report warned that proceeding with the reforms would cause significant prejudice to Māori, potentially worsening environmental and health outcomes, weakening kaitiakitanga and tino rangatiratanga, and further damaging the Māori‑Crown relationship. It recommended an immediate halt to the programme and a co‑design process with Māori before any further changes are made.