In the first months of 2025, the Government's Justice Select Committee heard from hundreds of New Zealanders who shared their views on the proposed Treaty Principles Bill. The Bill was voted down at its second reading, following nearly 80 hours of submissions.
The kōrero shared during the oral submissions provides a rich record of modern understandings of Te Tiriti from iwi leaders, academic and political leaders, and legal minds across Aotearoa. It also included compelling testimony from leaders within the social services sector on what Te Tiriti means for them in their daily mahi.
This resource brings together some of that kōrero. You can watch all the submissions on the Justice Select Committee's Vimeo page. The submissions began on 27 January 2025 and ran through until 28 February 2025. Each video includes presentations from multiple submitters. Below we have indicated the approximate point in the video (in hours, minutes and seconds) where their submission begins.
Māori leaders
Academic viewpoints
Dame Anne Salmond, Distinguished Professor of Māori Studies and Anthropology at the University of Auckland
Watch now (0.20.00)
Professor Rawinia Higgins, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori at the University of Victoria Wellington and Māori Language Commissioner
Watch now (2.40.25)
Luke Fitzmaurice-Brown, Senior Lecturer in Law at Victoria University
Watch now (1.01.25)
Vincent O'Malley, New Zealand historian
Watch now (3.35.50)
Social service sector
ANZASW
Watch now (3.04.45)
Auckland City Mission
Watch now (0.46.20)
Mana Mokopuna - Children and Young People's Commission
Watch now (56.40)
Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi
Watch now (2.45.00)