Coalition parties push to curtail Waitangi Tribunal amid Māori criticism

New Zealand First announced a policy to scrap the Waitangi Tribunal within the first 100 days of a new government, proposing a Treaty of Waitangi Completion Commission in its place. ACT outlined a plan to end the tribunal’s authority over contemporary Crown actions, limiting it to historical claims filed before 1 September 2008 and then winding it up. Māori health leader Lady Tureiti Moxon said the tribunal is the only permanent commission that can investigate breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and stressed its role in highlighting Crown misconduct, citing its latest report on the dismantling of the Māori Health Authority, which found multiple breaches.

She warned that the coalition’s moves aim to conceal the tribunal’s findings and undermine international scrutiny, including UN criticism. National leader Christopher Luxon questioned the tribunal’s relevance after Treaty settlements are completed but did not rule out full dismantlement. The debate reflects broader tensions over Māori rights and Crown accountability in New Zealand.