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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Eva Corlett in Wellington

What is the treaty principles bill and why is it causing controversy in New Zealand?

A hikoi (protest march) walks towards the Waitangi Treaty grounds on February 06, 2023 in Waitangi, New Zealand.
A protest in defence of the Waitangi Treaty in Waitangi, last year. The Luxon government is set to introduce a bill to reinterpret the country’s founding document. Photograph: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

Since New Zealand’s right-wing coalition government took office a year ago, its policy direction for Māori has dominated headlines, but one proposal in particular has faced strident backlash: the Treaty Principles Bill.

The bill was introduced by the minor libertarian Act party to parliament on Thursday. It seeks to radically alter the way the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document and which upholds Māori rights, is interpreted.

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