A Treaty Principles Bill

The Government introduced a Bill that sought to define in law the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi Treaty of Waitangi.

The Government agreed to introduce a Treaty Principles Bill and support it to the select committee stage. The proposed Bill is based on an ACT Party policy as agreed on in its coalition agreement with the National Party.

The Bill was introduced on 7 November 2024. Its intention was to create certainty about what the Treaty principles are and how they apply in New Zealand law.

The Bill received its first reading on 14 November 2024 was referred to Parliament’s Justice Committee for consideration. Public submissions on the Bill closed on 14 January 2025. The Committee began hearing submissions on 27 January 2025, which were live streamed on Parliament's website(external link)  The Committee released its report on submissions and recommendation(external link) on 4 April 2025 and the Bill was rejected by 112 votes to 11 at its second reading in Parliament on 10 April 2025. 

Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi is a founding document of New Zealand and is fundamental to our constitutional arrangements. The Treaty Principles Bill aimed to provide an opportunity to build consensus around the place of the Treaty principles in our constitutional and legal arrangements.

The work on this Bill was led by the Ministry of Justice.

Find out about the progress of the Bill at:

Justice Committee(external link)

Cabinet papers, briefings and other official information

These are the Cabinet papers, related Cabinet Minute and substantive advice (including briefings) related to the Treaty principles Bill, with appropriate redactions, in accordance with the Government’s proactive release policy.

• Briefing for the Incoming Associate Minister of Justice(external link)
• Redacted Legislation Bid, 14 December 2023 Briefing: Developing a Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill; and 12 March 2024 Briefing: Policy options for progressing a Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill(external link)
• Cabinet paper: Policy approvals for progressing a Treaty Principles Bill(external link)
• Cabinet Minute of Decision: Policy Approvals for Progressing a Treaty Principles Bill(external link)
• Regulatory Impact Statement: Providing certainty on the Treaty Principles(external link)
• 29 July Briefing: Targeted engagement with experts on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill; 9 August Aide Memoire: Updated timeframe for the Treaty Principles Bill; 21 August Briefing: Treaty Principles Bill: Update on Wording and Waitangi Tribunal Findings(external link)
• Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill(external link)
• Ministry of Justice (12 December 2024): Initial Briefing - Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill(external link)
• Ministry of Justice Departmental Report (12 March 2025): Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill(external link)
• Justice Committee report (4 April 2025): Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill(external link)
• Official Information Act response: Treaty Principles Bill submissions (21 February 2025) [PDF, 236 KB]

You can find more information and discussion about the Treaty, its history, and the law around it:

• on the Ministry’s Treaty page - Te Tiriti o Waitangi - Treaty of Waitangi
• through Te Puni Kōkiri - He Tirohanga ö Kawa ki te Tiriti o Waitangi A Guide to the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi as expressed by the Courts and the Waitangi Tribunal [PDF, 1 MB]
• at Te Ara Encyclopaedia of New Zealand - Te Tiriti o Waitangi – the Treaty of Waitangi(external link)

This page was last updated: 11th April 2025