Source: Radio New Zealand
The Waitangi Tribunal panel in an urgent inquiry into the government’s decision to remove school boards’ legal obligation to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and overhaul the national curriculum which began on April 15. NZEI Te Riu Roa / Naomi Madeiros
Proposed legislation reducing decision-makers obligations to no more than “take into account” Treaty obligations won’t be introduced before August.
Closing submissions took place on Tuesday in the Waitangi Tribunal’s urgent inquiry into the removal of school boards’ legal obligation to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, although the tribunal expanded the scope of the inquiry to include the proposed removal of other Treaty references in the Education and Training Act.
Evidence submitted to the tribunal showed that, on current timeframes, proposed legislation that would require decision-makers to “take into account” Te Tiriti, rather than “give effect” to it would not be introduced to the House before early-August 2026.
Legislation is expected to be introduced before this year’s general election.
The Crown memorandum also identified nine provisions of the Education and Training Act 2020 that were in scope for the proposed Bill.
It follows a review of all legislation, with the exception of Treaty settlements, that includes ‘the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi’ which was part of the coalition agreement between NZ First and National.
The [urgent inquiry, which was brought by Ngāti Hine, Te Kapotai and the country’s largest education union NZEI Te Riu Roa, heard evidence over three days on the removal of school boards’ legal obligations and a planned reset of the national curriculum.
NZEI Te Riu Roa President Ripeka Lessels said the disclosure in the Crown memorandum confirms the government is attempting to erase Te Tiriti from education despite unprecedented opposition from more than 1840 school boards and education sector leaders.
“By removing Te Tiriti obligations from the Act, the government is marginalising ākonga Māori and leaving teachers without the essential framework needed to address longstanding inequities.
“This is a clear breach of Te Tiriti principle of partnership that should define our schools, undermining the hard-won progress made by educators.”
By lowering the legal threshold to ‘take into account’ Te Tiriti, the government is effectively telling ākonga Māori and their whānau that their rights are secondary considerations rather than a high priority, she said.
“To push this change through despite the Ministry of Justice’s warnings proves this is a purely ideological move. It will roll back decades of progress in dismantling the systemic disadvantage faced by ākonga Māori. We will not stand by while the rights of our ākonga are stripped away as part of a coalition agreement.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
