Articulations of honourable kāwanatanga from submissions opposed to the defeated Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill 2025

Intern: Kahukura Jones, University of Otago

Supervisors: Associate Professor Clive Aspin & Dr Heather Came, Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington

The Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill 2024 sought to redefine the content and legal effect of Treaty principles within New Zealand law. Introduced by the coalition Government, the Bill generated widespread opposition, with over 300,000 submissions received by the Justice Select Committee. This project involved listening to organisational submissions against the defeated Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill 2024 and analysing how submitters from different categories articulated what honourable kāwanatanga may look like, as opposed to focusing on what the Crown has done wrong.