Credit / TV3
Supreme Court judge, Justice Tā Joe Williams, says Aotearoa has made "real" progress but continues to have "massive problems".
Tā Joe told Māori Television's Waitangi Day broadcast, "I think it's been a tough road so far, we've made some real progress in treaty settlements, in reo, education.
"There are some good signs in that the demand for the reo among non-Māori is at an unprecedented level."
However, he sounded a sobering warning. "Now, we've still got massive problems.
"In my job as a judge, I know that Māori are seven-times more likely to go to jail than non-Māori. And the statistics just go on and on," Tā Joe said.
"Will the struggle end? No, of course not. Because every generation renegotiates this.
"As long as we walk in understanding that the treaty signified a fundamental partnership then each generation renegotiates and rebalances that partnership.
"It has to, because it's got to be relevant for its time," he said.