The Government put out a press release this week about the Treaty Principles Bill and it included something we weren't expecting... trust me when I say we are going to need everyone to pitch in if we are to secure a victory now.

The Cabinet has agreed in advance to three principles being added to the Bill as it now heads off to the drafters. It has been clear to all that National are deeply uncomfortable at having to deliver on their coalition promise and it appears they have attempted to neuter the Bill before it is even written. Here are Cabinet's additional principles:

1. Civil Government: The Government of New Zealand has full power to govern, and Parliament has full power to make laws. They do so in the best interests of everyone, and in accordance with the rule of law and the maintenance of a free and democratic society.
2. Rights of Hapū and Iwi Māori: The Crown recognises the rights that hapū and iwi had when they signed the Treaty. The Crown will respect and protect those rights. Those rights differ from the rights everyone has a reasonable expectation to enjoy only when they are specified in legislation, Treaty settlements, or other agreement with the Crown.
3. Right to Equality: Everyone is equal before the law and is entitled to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination. Everyone is entitled to the equal enjoyment of the same fundamental human rights without discrimination.

Number two would entrench the race-based rights that we were hoping that this Bill would do away with!

The Cabinet's position is that it will be perfectly ok for two levels of rights; that it is perfectly acceptable that different groups get different rights. That so long as Parliament legislates race-based discrimination, then that's ok.

This is madness! It is the very opposite of what the Treaty Principles Bill is meant to do.

We must do two things in order to get a workable Treaty Principles Bill over the line:

1. We need to get as many submissions on the Bill as possible. More than we have ever had before.

2. We need those submitters to support the Bill but oppose the inclusion of number two of the Cabinet's principles as currently worded.

Are you with us? Join us in this most crucial of fights.

The media is going to be no help to us whatsoever. They have decided that the Treaty Principles Bill must be defeated and they will publish open letters on the front page to ensure that outcome. Meanwhile, they refuse to print our ads.

We must find ways to communicate with New Zealanders that don't involve the partisan and patronising media. If you're as frustrated as we are, join the fight.

We will need a dedicated website to facilitate submissions and provide information. Then we've got to send New Zealanders to it.

You will have seen us run campaigns on Facebook and Instagram before and that is one tactic we want to use again. But running ads on social media comes at a cost. Fortunately, our ads always have an incredibly low 'cost per click' because people eagerly engage with them and this means we can get good bang for our buck. Click here to chip in to fund social media ads.

We also need to find friends who have websites, large social media platforms, billboards, signage space and similar because experience tells us the mainstream companies will be too afraid. We will hear "we just want to stay out of it" over and over.

Please reply to this email if you can help in this regard.

This is a 'now or never' situation. It isn't the first time Parliament has attempted to define the principles, but one gets the feeling the door will slam shut if this Bill fails too. Will you take this rare opportunity to change the course of our country for the better? Chip in to the Treaty Principles Fund.

The Prime Minister says the Bill will be introduced in November. That leaves us a matter of weeks to build our website and prepare our strategy. But without the involvement of supporters like you, we won't be able to do it. Are you in?

Elliot and I will stand on the side of the road waving a sign if it comes to it, but if we want to succeed we have to go big!

So what do you think? Will you answer the call?

As always, on behalf of Hobson's Pledge, I thank you for your continued support.

I was unimpressed with the front page of the NZ Herald today.

The lead story was basically free advertising for a small group of church leaders opposing the Treaty Principles Bill. Just imagine if we tried to pay for an advertisement to support it! We are still in the naughty corner for our factual Marine and Coastal Area Act ad!

In their open letter, the church leaders misrepresent the proposed Treaty Principles Bill in a brazen attempt to influence their followers with nonsense regarding a matter of democratic importance to all New Zealanders.

They kick things off with a creative re-interpretation of Psalm 15 which actually highlights the very dynamics about the Treaty of Waitangi that we are concerned about – reinterpreting historical texts to suit certain agendas.

Church leaders should hold and speak their views, but their open letter isn't about discourse. It is about shutting down debate, discussion, and dialogue. 

I am worried that they are joining with the elitists to advocate against democratic parliamentary processes. They use the same manipulative language of those who seek to cancel and deplatform. They talk of social cohesion and potential harm from people talking about ideas.

This group appear to have little faith in New Zealanders' ability to think, discuss, and debate issues of importance to them. 

For Christians like myself, there is further reason for alarm because the leaders appear to be elevating the Treaty of Waitangi with sacred covenants between God and humanity in the Old Testament. 

To refer to the relationship between any church and any treaty as being a "sacred covenant" borders on the heretical.

Hobson’s Pledge rejects the many inaccuracies within the church leaders’ statement. We think it is poor of them to make such a public declaration about a Bill they haven't read yet. It is only going to Cabinet today!

The focus on "collective rights" rather than individual rights indicates that these church leaders misunderstand the treaty. A quick look through their organisational websites shows a lot of hard left politics, and that context is totally missing from the front page article.

With all due respect to these church leaders, keep to historical and literal truth.

He iwi tahi tātou / We are now one people.

The taxpayer-funded Waitangi Tribunal was set up in 1975, primarily to deal with historical wrong doings regarding the loss of confiscated land.

The Tribunal's only power was always to make recommendations to Government on such issues. 

Lately, however, it’s begun to delve into a whole heap of other matters. In fact, its members seem determined to try their luck at expanding their role at any opportunity.

The Waitangi Tribunal thinks, for example, it has the power to compel the Children’s Minister to appear before them and explain her audacity in keeping election promises to put the interests and safety of the child ahead of cultural considerations.

Perhaps most concerning is that the Tribunal thinks it has the power to re-write our constitution, forgetting that power is reserved for the voter, and no-one but the voter.

Since the new Coalition Government was elected with a strong mandate to remove race-based policies and law, the Tribunal has been hearing claims denouncing many of the Government’s election promises as violations of the Treaty.

And now, it has just produced a taxpayer-funded, 200-page report screaming for the Treaty Principles Bill to be axed on the basis that the Bill is trying to re-write the Treaty.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

In any case, the Bill will not alter the Treaty. It will merely define the so-called “principles” which were created but, foolishly, never spelt out in legislation.

It will put to bed the constant reinterpretations of what the Treaty promised. It will confirm that all New Zealanders have the same political rights. And it will give us the chance to have a mature national conversation about it all.

It is not leadership to say we cannot have a debate because the conversation is too difficult or divisive. It is divisive to allow the issue to continue to fester.

This latest attempt to thwart the democratic process begs the question once again, why is the New Zealand taxpayer still funding them?

Rather than axing the Treaty Principles Bill, let’s axe the Waitangi Tribunal instead.

Please sign the petition, if you agree.

This week, Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins has stirred controversy by asserting that “Māori did not cede sovereignty” when signing the Treaty of Waitangi. According to the New Zealand Herald, Hipkins was “unequivocal” in this claim.

Hipkins stated:

“It’s pretty clear that if you follow the various court rulings over time, the academic research, and the Treaty settlement process, the answer is no.” He further clarified, “That doesn’t mean the Crown doesn’t have sovereignty now, but Māori didn’t cede sovereignty in signing the Treaty.”

Such statements from a major political leader are deeply concerning and irresponsible. How can Hipkins claim Māori didn't cede sovereignty while also acknowledging the Crown's current sovereignty? This contradictory stance raises serious questions about his understanding of New Zealand’s history and constitutional framework.

FACT CHECK 👇

Article One of the Treaty states:

“The Chiefs of the Confederation of the United Tribes of New Zealand and the separate and independent Chiefs who have not become members of the Confederation cede to Her Majesty the Queen of England absolutely and without reservation all the rights and powers of Sovereignty…”

The intent of the Treaty was to unify New Zealand under a single sovereign authority.

Historical records, including speeches by Māori chiefs in 1840 and at the Kohimarama conference in 1860, confirm that they understood that they were surrendering authority to the Crown.

Sir Apirana Ngata, perhaps the greatest Maori leader of all time, emphasised this a century ago:

“Clause 1 of the Treaty handed over the mana and the sovereignty of New Zealand to Queen Victoria and her descendants forever.”

New Zealand has operated as a unified nation under the Crown's sovereignty for more than 180 years.

Hipkins’ claim that Māori did not cede sovereignty threatens our national unity and could undermine our legal and political system, creating divisions based on heritage where there should be none.

Former Labour Prime Minister David Lange observed:

“Democratic government can accommodate Māori political aspirations in many ways... What it cannot do is acknowledge the existence of a separate sovereignty. As soon as it does that, it isn’t a democracy.”

Willie Jackson has dismissed the notion that Maori chiefs ceded sovereignty in 1840 as “laughable,” further fuelling division and confusion. In contrast, National Party leader Christopher Luxon, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and David Seymour - the leaders of all the parties in the Coalition Government - have reaffirmed the Crown’s sovereignty.

Disagreements about New Zealand’s founding document should concern us all.

It’s time to stand firm on the principles that unite us as New Zealanders—one law for all, under one sovereign authority.