- Hon David Seymour
Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says all New Zealanders will now be able to have their say on the Treaty Principles Bill after it passed its first reading and was sent to the Justice Committee to be considered.
"I look forward to seeing what Kiwis have to say on the Bill over the six month select committee process," says Mr Seymour.
"The select committee process will finally democratise the debate over the Treaty which has until this point been dominated by a small number of judges, senior public servants, academics, and politicians.
"Parliament introduced the concept of the Treaty principles into law in 1975 but did not define them. As a result, the courts and the Waitangi Tribunal have been able to develop principles that have been used to justify actions that are contrary to the principle of equal rights. Those actions include co-governance in the delivery of public services, ethnic quotas in public institutions, and consultation based on background.
"The principles of the Treaty are not going away. Either Parliament can define them, or the courts will continue to meddle in this area of critical political and constitutional importance. The purpose of the Treaty Principles Bill is for Parliament to define the principles of the Treaty, provide certainty and clarity, and promote a national conversation about their place in our constitutional arrangements.
"The Bill will not alter or amend the Treaty itself. It will be used to assist with the interpretation of legislation where Treaty principles would normally be considered relevant, in addition to legislation that refers to Treaty principles directly.
"Far from being a divisive document, the Treaty is a powerful guide for New Zealand's future, establishing that all New Zealanders have equal rights, and that the government has a duty to protect those rights.
"I believe all New Zealanders deserve tino rangatiratanga - the right to self-determination. That all human beings are alike in dignity. The Treaty Principles Bill would give all New Zealanders equality before the law, so that we can go forward as one people with one set of rights.
"I am looking forward to this important national conversation about the place of the Treaty in our constitutional arrangements."
