Prime Minister Luxon's Treaty Principles Bill hits a snag as lawyers raise concerns and a hīkoi marches for change!
D-Day has arrived for New Zealand's government as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon faced the press about the highly anticipated Treaty Principles Bill. This piece of legislation is not just a dry political document; it's a hotbed of debate, expectancy, and a struggle over the very soul of what treaty principles mean in Aotearoa. Luxon reassured reporters that he is committed to upholding National's agreement with ACT, so it seems the political game is afoot as the bill moves toward its first reading in Parliament.
But hold your horses! The odds are stacked against the bill, and some observers suspect it may be more fiction than fact as it nears certain failure. This looming doom isn’t just a minor footnote; it could play right into the hands of ACT leader David Seymour, who might relish the opportunity to argue against the government's approach. It's a complex chess game in Wellington, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Adding to the drama, over 40 King's Counsel have taken a stand, penning a letter packed with grave concerns directed at the Prime Minister and Attorney-General. They believe that the bill could lead to serious implications and are calling for it to be abandoned altogether. Meanwhile, the voices of everyday Kiwis were heard loud and clear at the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti (March for the Treaty), where diverse participants waved their flags in solidarity and called for justice, including a spirited 9-year-old of Fijian and Māori heritage—expressing a heartfelt wish for everyone to “keep it up!”
In a turn of events that seems straight out of a soap opera, the Hīkoi reached Auckland with thousands crossing the Auckland Harbour Bridge, showcasing a unified front for what many see as an essential national dialogue. As commentators like Barry Soper have suggested, the argument might seem lost, yet thousands marching into Auckland serve as a testament to the ongoing fight for voice, representation, and respect for treaty principles in New Zealand.
As the debate continues to unfold in Parliament, it's essential to remember the Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840, serves as a foundational document for NZ's dual governance system. And, interestingly, Aotearoa is home to the world's first treaty-based legal system—an embodiment of our ongoing journey towards true partnership and reconciliation. Regardless of the outcomes of the Treaty Principles Bill, it remains clear that dialogues surrounding it will be integral in shaping the landscape of our nation for generations to come.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Wednesday told reporters he still planned on honouring National's agreement with ACT. "We support the bill to first reading ...
The Treaty Principles Bill has its first reading in Parliament today even though it's doomed to fail - but that might be exactly what Act leader David...
More than 40 KCs have written to the prime minister and attorney-general outlining their 'grave concerns' about the substance of the Treaty Principles Bill ...
The best law jobs are on LawFuel - Check Here Over 40 King's Counsel have written to the Prime Minister and Attorney-General, expressing grave concerns ...
Nine-year-old Koukolewa of Fijian and Māori heritage wants everyone on the hīkoi to "keep it up". Photo/PMN News/Candice Ama. News. 'It ...
The Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi reached Auckland on Wednesday, seeing thousands cross the Harbour Bridge and walk around the coast to Bastion Point.
We're told by the organiser Eru Kapa-Kingi that the Treaty Principles Bill, which is about to receive its first and last debate in Parliament today, is a minor ...
By RNZ Members of the King's Counsel, some of New Zealand's most senior legal minds, say the Treaty Principles Bill “seeks to rewrite the Treaty itself” and ...
Aotearoa as we know it was built on Te Tiriti. Te Tiriti affirms the rights of Māori to continue to care for their people and their taonga.
A joint letter from 42 King's Counsels spells out why they think the Bill and proposed referendum are “wholly inappropriate”.
Māori environmentalist and veteran protestor Mike Smith says the Treaty Principles Bill is a smokescreen and a distraction from environmental exploitation.
Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel says she does not believe statements from the National Party and NZ First throughout this term, which indicate they ...
The Treaty Principles Bill is already straining social cohesion – a referendum could be worse, write law professors Alexander Gillespie and Claire Breen.
Speaker Gerry Brownlee is expected to warn members of the public at Parliament that if there are any attempts to disrupt the first reading of the Treaty Pr.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has delivered his strongest pushback to date against his coalition partner David Seymour , saying National is focused on ...
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The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King's Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill.
The show of kotahitanga or unity for Te Tiriti o Waitangi reached Ōtautahi on Wednesday, as part of the Te Waipounamu Hīkoi/South Island Hīkoi.
The Treaty Principles Bill will face its first vote on Thursday afternoon in what is expected to be a heated session in Parliament. Opposition politicians.
David Seymour's bill will have its first reading in Parliament today.
Jackson was delivering his debate speech saying Seymour was using the select committee as a "six-month hate-tour". "The minister's vanity Treaty Principles Bill ...
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 ...
The Prime Minister has given a scathing appraisal of the bill on the day of its first reading.
Labour MP Willie Jackson was kicked out of the debating chamber after he called Seymour a "liar", and later a haka led by Te Pāti Māori saw proceedings ...
“Today a majority of powerful people prioritised cynical politics, fanning the flame of a culture war, over the truth and the needs of our nation,” says Green ...
With the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti only halfway to Parliament, ACT Leader David Seymour's controversial Treaty Principles Bill is going through its first reading.