PŌNEKE — The coalition government is proceeding with its controversial review of Treaty of Waitangi references in legislation, firmly rejecting an urgent appeal from the National Iwi Chairs Forum (NICF) to immediately halt the process.
In a strongly worded letter dated April 22, 2026, addressed to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, the NICF laid out its concerns regarding Cabinet’s decisions to repeal and amend Treaty provisions across multiple statutes.
“We oppose in the strongest possible terms both the proposed legislative amendments and the process which has been followed to date,” the NICF stated in the letter.
The forum, with signatories including Pou Taiao Chair Tukoroirangi Morgan and Pou Tikanga Co-Chair Professor Margaret Mutu, issued two clear demands to the Prime Minister and Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith.
“Immediately withdraw the present proposals and instructions to PCO,” the iwi leaders demanded, alongside a request to meet and agree on a Te Tiriti compliant process.
The NICF fiercely criticised the government’s approach, arguing that lowering the Treaty standard to merely “take into account” across various Acts severely impacts Māori rights.
“They represent a conscious decision by your Government to purposively diminish the statutory recognition of Te Tiriti and its principles,” the forum wrote, describing the proposed reforms as “ideologically driven”.
Furthermore, the forum claimed that the complete failure to engage with iwi and hapū before Cabinet made its substantive decisions constitutes a “direct breach of the Crown’s Te Tiriti obligations”.
When questioned about the letter today in Parliament, PM Christopher Luxon acknowledged he had seen it.
“Clearly the intent of this legislation is to make sure that we have very specific Treaty causes and there that pertains the legislature so we’re actually clear on our obligations to each other”
He also refused to commit to meeting with the NICF on this issue instead saying he does meet with them regularly throughout the year.
Minister of Treaty Negotiations, Paul Goldsmith said they wouldn’t be pausing progress at this point.
“No, obviously with the democratically elected government and we’re gonna do what we set out to do but there’s still part of an ongoing conversation and consultation,”
Goldsmith continued and saying he backed the review as providing clarity to what he said was a ‘hotch potch’ interpretation of the Treaty throughout the years.
“Simply bring some consistency and current clarity about how the government through legislation refers to the principles of the Treaty that’s grown in a hotch potch manner over 30 years”
Minister Goldsmith confirmed that he would meet with the NICF at some point.