Emails from 2025 reveal the Justice Minister directed officials not to hold regional hui with iwi as part of the Government’s Treaty clause review, instead shifting engagement toward a small, Minister-appointed advisory group.
Documents released under the Official Information Act show that in mid March 2025, as Cabinet papers were being finalised, officials were instructed to remove regional hui with iwi Māori from the engagement plan.
One email updating the draft Cabinet paper states, “Regional Hui to be removed.”
Follow-up briefings confirm the direction came from the Minister, with officials noting, “The Minister has directed that MoJ [Ministry of Justice] will not undertake regional hui with broader iwi Māori.”
Instead, engagement was narrowed, relying on agencies and central oversight, with further input potentially considered at a later stage.
The same set of instructions also outlined a shift in structure, noting, “Ministerial Advisory Group to be established and authorised to make decisions.”
The revelation comes as the Government prepares a bill to overhaul Treaty clauses across legislation, with Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith confirming earlier this week, work is underway on a single piece of legislation expected to be introduced in the coming months.
“We’ve got a bill to introduce that will cover about 18 pieces of legislation,” Goldsmith said.
He says the review is aimed at bringing consistency to the wide range of Treaty clauses currently in law.
“There’s a wide variety of phrases used… give effect to the Treaty, take into account, have regard, a whole lot of things.”
Goldsmith rejects claims the process has lacked transparency, saying there will be engagement with iwi leaders and that the public will have opportunities to be heard.
“It’s not on the down low… We’ll be listening to their feedback before we finalise the bill, and then of course it will go to a select committee process.”
Te Ao News asked the Minister what that consultation will look like, and he said it would involve the iwi leaders’ forum and their “pou tikanga.”
The four-person Ministerial Advisory Group, appointed in May 2025, is chaired by former Waitangi Tribunal member David Cochrane, alongside Marama Royal MNZM, James Christmas and John Walters.
James Christmas is a former National Party candidate and has recently been announced as ACT’s Tāmaki candidate in the next election.
The group was tasked with advising Ministers on engagement and recommendations to amend, standardise or repeal Treaty clauses across the statute book.
Its advice recommends replacing broad Treaty clauses with more specific provisions and, in some cases, repealing them altogether where no clear obligation can be identified.
The group also cautions against removing references to Treaty principles entirely and calls for meaningful engagement with Māori.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson says the Crown has a responsibility to engage directly with Māori.
“The Crown engaging with its Māori partners is not optional.”
She says the Government was warned about the potential impacts of the review on the Māori Crown relationship.
“This Government was clearly advised that this proposal would have damaging impacts on the Māori Crown relationship, and approved it anyway.”
She says Te Tiriti remains a foundational agreement that should be strengthened, not reduced.
“He tirohanga mokopuna a te Tiriti: te Tiriti o Waitangi was born with all its descendants in mind. It is our enduring foundation, and our enduring protection.”
Officials had earlier warned that broader engagement with iwi Māori would be appropriate given the constitutional significance of the review, but options such as regional hui were ultimately removed in favour of a more centralised approach.
The proposed changes would standardise Treaty clauses across legislation, generally lowering them to a consistent threshold, replacing stronger obligations such as giving effect to the Treaty.
Te Ao News has reached out to Minister Goldsmith to respond to the documents showing his advice against the regional hui.
