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Te Pāti Māori will demand the establishment of a new parliamentary commissioner with the power to overrule Parliament if proposed legislation violates Te Tiriti o Waitangi, should they form part of a government.
Party co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer announced the new policy to journalists ahead of their pōwhiri at Waitangi, where they are today being welcomed on to the Treaty Grounds alongside members of Waikato-Tainui and the Kīngitanga.
In a statement released alongside the media stand-up, Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer said their party would campaign on creating an independent Parliamentary Commissioner, who they described as an “advocate ensuring that Te Tiriti is honoured across all government policies and decisions made in Parliament”.
“The commissioner would have the role of auditing the government in being honourable of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It will provide independent advice to Parliament, and ensure Māori voices are central to decision-making processes,” Ngarewa-Packer said.
The statement called on all political parties to support the policy.
NZ Herald
