Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has met with iwi leaders for the first time since they formally requested talks over the Government’s Treaty clause review, following months of growing tension between the Crown and the National Iwi Chairs Forum.
Luxon alongside Ministers Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith and Tama Potaka were at the meeting on Wednesday morning at the Beehive.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister described the meeting as positive and constructive.
“It was a valuable opportunity for iwi leaders and the Prime Minister to listen and share views on how we improve economic, social and environmental outcomes for iwi and Māori.”
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Justin Tipa, who was one of the iwi leaders in attendance, said the discussion covered a broad range of issues affecting iwi and the country.
“It was a wide-ranging discussion that touched on Treaty principles in legislation, resource management and conservation reform, as well as the economy and fuel security.”
Tipa said the Prime Minister described the exchange as frank.
“It was a robust discussion. Both sides have no trouble telling it straight and challenging each other.”
“At a certain level, there is a lot of alignment between us. We all want our country to be successful and for it to be a place where people can raise families, earn a good living, and build a future.”
However, Tipa said iwi leaders challenged ministers on aspects of the Government’s policy programme.
“The challenge we put to the Prime Minister and other Ministers in attendance was around aspects of the Government’s legislative agenda that we see as creating a false dichotomy between honouring Te Tiriti and delivering productivity and progress for our nation.” Tipa said.
“Productive reform doesn’t require taking an axe to everything with the word ‘Treaty’ in it. In fact, my view is that if we saw a more constructive approach being taken on Treaty matters, we’d actually be able to work together quite productively to the country’s benefit.”
The meeting follows a letter sent by the National Iwi Chairs Forum to Luxon, Goldsmith and NZ First Minister Shane Jones in April, which accused the Government of breaching Te Tiriti o Waitangi through its ongoing review of Treaty clauses across legislation.
In that letter, iwi leaders argued the Crown had failed to engage meaningfully with iwi and hapū before making key decisions and warned the process risked weakening Treaty obligations in law.
The Forum called for the review to be halted immediately and reset through a Treaty-compliant process developed alongside iwi.
At the time, Pou Tikanga co-chair Aperahama Edwards said iwi had effectively been shut out of decisions that directly affected Māori interests.
The letter was sent after Cabinet agreed to progress a review of Treaty references across a range of laws, including proposals to standardise obligations and, in some cases, reduce them to a requirement that decision-makers only “take into account” Treaty principles.
While ministers rejected claims the process breached Treaty obligations, both Goldsmith and Luxon indicated they would meet with iwi leaders.
Wednesday’s meeting appears to be the first formal engagement between the Prime Minister and National Iwi Chairs Forum leaders since that request was made.
The Government has maintained the review is intended to provide greater clarity and consistency around Treaty clauses while preserving existing Treaty settlements and settlement commitments.
