Have your say on the Treaty Principles Bill

Speak up for Te Tiriti o Waitangi by making a submission before January 7, 2025.

The government has introduced the Treaty Principles Bill, and is currently inviting public submissions. This Bill would undermine Māori rights under Te Tiriti and destabilise our relationships even further. As followers of Jesus from across Aotearoa New Zealand we express our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and our concern at the Treaty Principles Bill.


These submission resources make it easy for you to have your say.

Before making a submission, we invite you to watch this 5 minute video outlining Church leaders’ key concerns about the Treaty Principles Bill.

Ways to make a submission

  1. Our quick submit form makes it easy to have your say. With prompts and a template that you can personalise, it will create a pdf letter which we will print and post to Parliament with hundreds of others on your behalf.

2. Or you can use our submission guides to write your submission direct onto the Parliament website.

3. Alternatively, you can write a hardcopy submission and send it in via Freepost to Parliament. Write your submission in clear English or Te Reo Māori, ensuring your handwriting is legible.

  • Ensure that it includes your full name, email address and a contact number on a cover page. Keep personal details separate from the main part of the submission, as all submissions are published on the Parliament website

  • Ensure that it is clearly stated up front that this is a submission on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, and whether or not you would like to provide an oral submission (speaking to the Committee for 5 minutes via Zoom about your submission).

  • Post it to the following address by 31 December (to ensure it will be received by the submission closing date of 07 January):

    • Freepost Parliament
      Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill
      Committee Secretariat
      Justice Committee
      Parliament Buildings
      Wellington

    • Postage to Parliament is free so no stamp is required.

More detailed resources

To learn more or help educate your friends, church or networks:

  • See this 8 minute video on the Treaty Principles Bill from Dr Carwyn Jones, Head Lecturer for Māori Laws and Philosophy at Te Wānanga o Raukawa.

  • Or consider running a 90 minute workshop with your church, family or a group of friends here. This workshop includes:

  • A refresher on what Te Tiriti o Waitangi says

  • An introduction to 'Treaty Principles'

  • An outline of what the Treaty Principles Bill proposes and why people are concerned

  • How to have your say.

  • Time for people to write their own submission.

CLICK HERE to view this workshop and accompanying resources.