Treaty of Waitangi

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• ACT believes legally privileging some New Zealanders over others with parliamentary seats and other government appointed positions is an erosion of a free society.
• Furthermore, such policies undermine the dignity and independence of the very people whom they are supposed to help.
• ACT supports the vision of a free society and would seek to remove all race-based appointments.
• ACT would also seek to ensure that the Waitangi Tribunal process ends on the basis of full, fair, and final settlements. (more here)

• Support processes for dialogue between Tiriti parties on how the Tiriti relationship would be given effect, for example, in any new constitutional or Treaty settlement process.
• Resource comprehensive information and education programmes on Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Undertake a review of the current Treaty settlement model to improve equity and justice for both the process and outcomes.
• Promote and support increased resources for the Waitangi Tribunal, including adequate resources for claimants to prepare and present their cases, and increased transparency and accountablility. (more here)

• Not available on their website yet.

• Remove the 2014 deadline for lodging historical claims with the Waitangi Tribunal to better enable iwi with such claims to properly research and state their cases.
• Increase resourcing of the Waitangi Tribunal so that it is better able to hear and expedite the settlement of claims in a fair and timely manner, and expand the jurisdiction of the Waitangi Tribunal to make binding recommendations in certain cases.
• Increase the value of settlements to iwi by introducing a graduated system of settlement rather than a one-off settlement package.  This would replace the current “full-and-final” settlement system and would enable the Crown to justly settle claims over time.
• Prioritise the return of Crown owned lands including those held by State Owned Enterprises where there are proven claims over those lands in keeping with the maxim “Me riro whenua atu, me hoki whenua mai”.
• Begin a process to settle the way in which political and legal power is structured in Aotearoa New Zealand.  Settlement must include meaningful constitutional transformation. (more here)

• All policy provided to Cabinet and all bills tabled in the House must be able to demonstrate the impact of the policy on whānau and the Treaty partnership.
• Treaty studies will be taught in all schools, from Year 7 on, starting in 2014. We want schools to teach local iwi history; civic and heritage studies, including a history of the Pacific.
• We will ensure proper funding for Takutai Moana cases.
• The Māori seats will stay until such time Māori freely choose, via a mana whenua referendum, otherwise.
• We will insert a Treaty clause into the overseas investment legislation, to give iwi first right of refusal. (more here)

• Continue to progress Treaty settlements, settling historical grievances and providing an economic boost to regional New Zealand. By 2017, all willing iwi should have deeds of settlement. (more here)

• The Treaty should be a source of national pride and unity and not used to expand the separate rights of Maori or anyone else. Too often the Treaty now divides, polarizes and isolates us.
• The Treaty is not part of the New Zealand Constitution. It is not capable of supporting the extraction of so-called ‘principles’ for any legislative or government purpose. Ill-defined and abstract ‘principles’ are a recipe for legal and constitutional misunderstanding and dispute.
• The Waitangi Tribunal must fully, fairly and finally complete the settlement of all outstanding claims. New Zealand First believes in the concept of a fair go for all New Zealanders and this includes settling genuine historical grievances. (more here)

• Not available on their website yet.