E tū members were proud to join the record-breaking Hīkoi mō te Tiriti last month, which saw thousands of people up and down the country march together against the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill (Treaty Principles Bill) and other attacks on te ao Māori.
The hīkoi arrived at Parliament with well over 50,000 people joining forces to tell the Government to scrap the divisive bill. E tū President Muriel Tunoho marched with the multitudes, and says it was one of the most important political actions of a generation.
“It was phenomenal, powerful, respectful and impactful,” Muriel says.
“Any attempt to divide us or any sanitisation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and breaches of good faith will not be
tolerated by Māori. A growing number of non-Māori and young people are understanding this more, too.
“It is hopeful for our future generations as well. Because over 50,000 voices marching on Parliament to
oppose the shallow and divisive Treaty Principles Bill should not be ignored.
“In the end, the Treaty Principles Bill is just a distraction that does nothing to address the job losses, job
insecurity, and cost of living struggles our members face now.”
Wellington Hikoi
What is the E tū position on the Treaty Principles Bill?
The proposal is to establish three new ‘Treaty principles’ which are interpretations of the three articles of te Tiriti. Instead of relying on the careful interpretations of te Tiriti and its application in recent decades, the bill would see over-simplified new principles become the legal framework work on Tiriti issues. It is a flawed idea that will cause more harm than good. It is an attempt to narrow and limit the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi, ignoring decades of work by experts and courts to understand what te Tiriti means in practice. Te Tiriti is meant to guide the relationship between Māori and the Crown as partners, but this bill goes against that by being developed without proper consultation with Māori, breaking the trust and respect te Tiriti is built on.
The changes would weaken Māori rights and shift the balance of power away from the partnership promised by te Tiriti. Instead of creating fairness, the bill risks silencing Māori voices and widening the gap between communities.
You can have your voice heard against the Treaty Principles Bill by making a submission to Parliament. E tū has developed a simple tool to help you write your submission. Visit www.etu.nz/treatysubmission to make your submission today! Be sure to fill out the form before 5 January 2025.