Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer at Parliament in Wellington 30 May 2024. Photo / Marty Melville
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer at Parliament in Wellington 30 May 2024. Photo / Marty Melville
Opinion
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is co-leader of Te Pāti Māori.
OPINION
Enshrined in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the founding document of Aotearoa, is our right to be sovereign.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi embodies the promise of partnership, protection, and equity between Māori and the Crown. Yet, as we navigate the ignorance of this coalition Government, they are doing all they can to undermine and diminish Te Tiriti by pursuing policies that veer increasingly away from its spirit and intent.
Their ongoing bigoted policies and actions circle back to a central theme that we continue to hold them to account for: the Government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda, characterised by a lack of consultation and a disregard for Māori rights, well-being, and aspirations.
It is undeniable our criminal justice system perpetuates institutional racism, leading to disproportionate incarceration rates for Māori. Despite comprising 20% of the population, Māori account for 52% of the prison population. The proposed reinstatement of the Three Strikes law exemplifies a punitive approach that exacerbates rather than resolves the systemic inequalities rooted in colonisation and cultural disconnection.
Māori did not sign Te Tiriti o Waitangi to see their communities overrepresented in prisons; rather, justice in Aotearoa demands recognition of tino rangatiratanga to implement restorative justice models aligned with Tikanga Māori.
Members of the hīkoi, dedicated to defending Te Tiriti o Waitangi, close in on Waitangi. Photo / Denise Piper
The Government’s move to repeal Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act suggests Māori are incapable of caring for our mokopuna, further disenfranchising whānau and perpetuating intergenerational trauma.
Section 7AA provides an avenue for the Government to respect Te Tiriti o Waitangi through child protection policy. This section must be maintained to avoid the real, and immediate risks highlighted by the Waitangi Tribunal and Ministry officials.
The lack of consultation with affected communities underscores a persistent pattern, where decisions impacting Māori are made without meaningful engagement or consideration of cultural implications.
Recent statistics revealing a sharp rise in Māori unemployment rates highlight systemic economic injustices under this Government’s watch. The disparity, with Māori unemployment rates being almost two times the national average, reflects a widening gap that disproportionately affects Māori and Pasifika communities. The Government’s response, including benefit cuts and benefit sanctions, fails to address the underlying structural issues contributing to Māori unemployment. The Government has neglected its responsibilities under Te Tiriti to ensure equitable opportunities for all citizens.
Reflecting on health policy, the abrupt changes to Te Aka Whai Ora and smokefree laws signal a disregard for Māori wellbeing. These decisions, made without adequate consultation and transparency, jeopardise decades of progress in addressing Māori health disparities. The consequences are stark: Māori die over 7 years earlier than non-Māori, underscoring the urgent need for policies that uphold tino rangatiratanga and prioritise equitable health outcomes.
The proposed Fast Track Approvals Bill represents a direct assault on our kaitiakitanga of our taiao. By granting unchecked power to Crown ministers over natural resource extraction without community consultation, this legislation undermines mana motuhake and continues historical injustices. The Government’s failure to uphold its obligations under Te Tiriti is evident in its willingness to prioritise short-term economic gains over long-term environmental sustainability and Māori rights.
And, finally, the impending Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill threatens Māori housing stability by empowering landlords at the expense of renters. This legislation intensifies homelessness risks and perpetuates housing insecurity among Māori communities. The Government’s prioritisation of tax cuts for wealthy landlords while halting social housing initiatives further illustrates its disregard for the socio-economic rights outlined in Te Tiriti. This systemic neglect reinforces disparities in housing quality and affordability, enabling cycles of inequality.
These examples paint a picture of the Government’s disregard for tangata whenua. They use and abuse urgency in the House and have created a dictatorship in what should be a Tiriti-led democratic state.
Through the coalition, we are still fighting for equity to oranga, for seats on local councils. We are still fighting for te reo Māori, fighting for the right of our babies to remain with their whakapapa, and we are still fighting to protect our whenua from being pillaged by large corporations.
We are still fighting for our mokopuna.
For all these reasons, the establishment of a Māori Parliament and the signing of Te Ngākau o te Iwi Māori are critical steps towards asserting our tino rangatiratanga, laying the foundation of our mana motuhake, and ensuring decisions for the future of our mokopuna.
