A Waitangi Tribunal urgent inquiry has begun looking into claims that the government’s push to prioritise English names and language in the public sector is harming te reo Māori.
The Government appointed former Act Party leader Richard Prebble to the Tribunal in October 2024
Labour MP Willie Jackson objected to Prebble’s appointment due to his alignment with Act’s policies, including the controversial Treaty Principles Bill
Today, he announced his resignation from the tribunal
Richard Prebble is resigning from the Waitangi Tribunal, following his controversial appointment last year.
In his column, he outlines his understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi compared to the tribunal’s.
“The Tribunal has turned the Treaty upside down,” he writes, saying the tribunal believes that sovereignty was not ceded and Māori were promised economic equality.
“As we will never have economic equality, the tribunal has created an endless grievance that can never be met.
“I will not participate in turning the Treaty into a socialist manifesto.”
His resignation so soon after being appointed raises questions about his suitability in the first place, given the seemingly incompatible differences between his views and the tribunal’s findings, which are publicly available.
Waitangi Tribunal Chief Judge Dr Caren Fox
Photo / Supplied
Tribunal Chief Judge Dr Caren Fox said she expected all members to undertake their own due diligence, including reading tribunal reports, “before accepting appointment”.
She noted that the interim reports referred to in Prebble’s resignation letter - about the Treaty Principles Bill and the review of Treaty of Waitangi clauses - were released before his appointment. The panels responsible for the reports can be challenged in the High Court, she said, which has not transpired.
Prebble’s letter also referred to the tribunal’s strategic review, which she couldn’t comment on because it was still a draft and had only been sent to stakeholders.
“I wish Mr Prebble well for the future and appreciate his thanks ‘for the professional manner that the Judges, Members and staff have supported’ him,” she said.
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said he was “moving swiftly” to appoint a new member to minimise any disruption to the tribunal.
“The Waitangi Tribunal achieves its mahi thanks to the commitment of a diverse range of members providing extensive experience and knowledge. Mr Prebble has made the decision to resign of his own accord - I respect his choice and wish him well.”
Potaka announced Prebble’s appointment to the tribunal in October last year, alongside new member Ken Williamson, an insurance specialist and philanthropist who has been a lifelong supporter of St John.
For many, Prebble’s appointment represented a challenge to the tribunal from within.
Richard Prebble has announced his resignation from the Waitangi Tribunal. Photo / Tessa Chrisp Photography
Kevin Prime was reappointed for a second time, though three other members up for reappointment were not. Two of them, Dr Hana O’Regan and former broadcaster Derek Fox, were reappointed in an announcement from Potaka in January, more than six months after their three-year terms had ended.
The announcement also included the appointment of Philip Crump, lawyer and founding editor of the now defunct Newstalk ZB Plus, and Manawatu councillor Grant Hadfield, who has previously opposed the introduction of a Māori ward. Iwi wrote an open letter to MPs criticising Hadfield’s appointment.
Potaka has defended the appointments, saying they provide “the right balance of skills” for the tribunal to continue its work.
The appointments are made by the Governor-General following recommendations from the minister, who by law “must have regard to the relationship between the two parties to the Treaty of Waitangi, and to a candidate’s personal attributes and relevant knowledge and experience in matters likely to come before the Tribunal”.
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Derek Cheng is a senior journalist who started at the Herald in 2004. He has worked several stints in the press gallery team and is a former deputy political editor.
