‘I can polish poo – but I can’t polish diarrhoea’: Māori blast RMA overhaul

“It is remarkable that our country has commenced recognising Indigenous ancestors in some significant lands and waters. It’s time to be next-level courageous with general conservation and environmental law.” — Jacinta Ruru.

“We spent years speaking to people in all sorts of places, from Rotary Clubs to historical societies and business conferences. Basically, we’d talk to anyone who wanted to know the story.” — Kerensa Johnston on the fight for the Nelson Tenths.

“When the prime minister spoke at Waitangi he set out a terribly distorted view of the country’s founding document.” — Carwyn Jones.

'Slowing the Sun by Nadine Hura is my book of the year.' Economist Paul Dalziel discusses seven books he thinks have important things to say about life in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2025, including 'Hardship and Hope' and 'The Good Economy'. www.weall.org.nz/news/pauls-...

“Behind the review lie some questionable assumptions about the tribunal, including that it has overstepped its role … by actively scrutinising contemporary government policy.” — Carwyn Jones on the government review of the Waitangi Tribunal. #nzpol

theconversation.com/what-is-happ... #NZpol

On this day in 1835: He Whakaputanga and the vision of a whenua rangatira

“For those of us who’ve been pressured to assimilate into Pākehā culture, it’s tempting to think that assimilating into Māori culture is respectful. But this is not what’s being asked of us.” — Mengzhu Fu.

“The recognition of tikanga strengthens the rule of law. By contrast, rhetoric from the executive that disparages judicial engagement with tikanga undermines the separation of powers at the core of our constitutional order.” — Natalie Coates and Tai Ahu, Te Hunga Rōia Māori.

#NZpol #ToitūTeTiriti

Data shows 'exciting' shift in Kiwis' attitudes to te reo Māori

“Seeing vowels present in Māori words grows a person’s ability to communicate and to understand New Zealand English, of which many Māori words are an everyday part.” #nzpol To explain its decision to remove Māori words from junior reading books, the MoE chose to hide behind jargon.

“I get so many messages from people telling me how scared they are by what this government is doing. But they also say that watching me speak up gives them hope. I think thats why my tīpuna gave me such a big waha. So that I could use it.” — Tania Waikato “It wasn’t bots, it was us.” #nzpol

#RSB Would you like to tailor your submission to the area you work in, care passionately about or have lived experience in? Melanie Nelson @weavingourworlds.bsky.social and team have launched an RSB Tool with guide questions/statements in over 60 areas of public life! tinyurl.com/RSBTool

“The bill may very well open the door for corporations to force Māori to pay for their own exploitation and the erasure of their Indigenous rights and lands.” — Ryan Ward.

Hey Blue Sky fam, check this profile out.... @taniawaikatolawyer.bsky.social Give Tania a follow!!! This wahine is 🔥 🔥 🔥 #nzpol #HonourTheTreatyofWaitangi

So women are now quite literally holding up the New Zealand economy in under-paid work marilynwaring.com/publications...

“The need for these discussions is urgent. We have perhaps not progressed the conversation as far as we ought to have in the nearly 10 years since the publication of the Matike Mai report.” — Carwyn Jones.

Thanks for posting Tanya. Yet more awesome mahi from the always brilliant @taniawaikatolawyer.bsky.social - lucky she’s superhuman and doesn’t need much sleep 🤣 Have you signed? Tangata Tiriti can sign as supporters

Here we go again… why voting is not a privilege to be removed as punishment

Reinstating a blanket ban on prisoners voting is retrograde and harmful

“Making constitutional change means thinking less about the institutions of power we have now, and more about what values we’d like represented, writes Carwyn Jones.” #nzpol e-tangata.co.nz/comment-and-...

thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-... #ToitūTeTiriti #nzpol

“Participating in the Matike Mai hui was a profound experience. People wanted to have those conversations. And they were ready and waiting for the opportunity to discuss the issues.” — Carwyn Jones.

“We defeated a well-funded, bad-faith attempt to turn our country against our founding agreement.” — Kassie Hartendorp.

Kinda furious with NZ Labour for putting down a brown woman - again - to score cheap and nasty political points - you didn't have to do that #nzpol thespinoff.co.nz/politics/28-...

“If we are to move forward together to counter the twin existential crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, we need to ensure tangata whenua are part of decision-making.” — Kayla Kingdon-Bebb and Carwyn Jones. #nzpol

Below is the poem for Waitangi Day (in captions too) I read on Radio New Zealand. Email [email protected] for a free e-copy of the book. Tangata Tiriti Principles Karlo Mila As Tangata Tiriti we’ve got to have clarity, that Māori never ceded sovereignty.

We all benefit when Te Tiriti o Waitangi is respected www.waikatotimes.co.nz/nz-news/3605... #toitutetiriti #nzpol

#ToitūTeTiriti 🚨 7pm 🚨 @koekoeaa TikTok Live @tinangata.bsky.social "If anyone needs a little bit of awhi to get their submission in, haere mai!" ❤️ www.tiktok.com/@koekoeaa

A new generation’s rising. The NZ National party has lost more than it understands by enabling a small party to lead an attack on Te Tiriti. Make a quick submission today and oppose the Treaty Principles Bill here www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/mak... and see youtu.be/C6qRSb8LIeA

I wrote this column the other week (paywalled) which included part of the statement from the NZ Rugby League Board who have made a submission against ACT’s divisive bill. Folks seem to have missed this move but I think it’s important from a sport like league. www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/there-...

#ToitūTeTiriti Treaty Principles Bill and hīkoi as covered by PBS News Hour (24 Dec 2024). Ngā mihi Carwyn Jones @ahikaroa.bsky.social and Kassie Hartendorp (director of ActionStation) for contributing. Glad this explainer is out there for overseas audiences. www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-sV...

I put together another primer to help people understand and talk about the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill www.metuauru.co.nz/wp-content/u... #nzpol

In praise of Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke. This is an excellent poem. Toitū Te Tiriti. #poetry #nzpol tusiata.substack.com/p/in-praise-...

“We don’t need to always be reacting to kāwanatanga. Our actions can be our own declaration of rangatiratanga.” — Tracy Karanui-Golf, Mahinarangi Maika, Jota Firmin, and Carwyn Jones.

Māori tikanga “provides a different way of thinking about free speech than simply an individual right. Rather, it suggests a focus on the obligations to the community that are always inherently bound up with the exercise of rights in the Māori legal order.” — Dr Carwyn Jones.

This government sure seems determined to kill Māori and Pasifika people.

I had a bit of a kōrero about Te Tiriti and Treaty principles with Sharon Brettkelly for The Detail: www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/t...

Join a racist circus, get a racist tightrope. The PM is only having difficulties here because he wants to say one thing and do another. Principled people don't find themselves in these positions www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350...

Actions speak louder than words and National’s actions are not compatible with a commitment. They’re undoing generations of work towards equity in health and housing and trying to minimise the use of Te Reo. Disgraceful of Willis to try and whitewash National’s actions www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

I'm looking forward to participating in this webinar hosted by Victorian Aboriginal Legal Services.

This excellent documentary about the parallels between the Australian "The Voice" referendum and the threats to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Please watch and share. www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDS0...

Auckland Women’s Centre, among others did this great list. awc.org.nz/things-you-c...

Wise and important words from Professor Leonie Pihama tewhareporahou.wordpress.com/2023/12/11/e...

My programme has a position for a Lecturer in Māori Literature and Creative Communication - it would be fantastic if this ad could be shared widely across academic and Ao/NZ bluesky #kikorangi www.wgtn.ac.nz/about/workin...

This feels like a good use of our time Aotearoa. We need to start somewhere.

Some more reckons on the coalition agreements from me and others in this piece by Aaron Smale. newsroom.co.nz/2023/11/30/c...