Serious threat to Liberal Democracy in Aotearoa

Te Arataura Chairman Tukoroirangi Morgan is labelling the government’s latest move to shut down the judiciary from releasing its findings into the Treaty Principles Bill as a direct threat to our constitutional arrangements.

Waikato-Tainui are a party to the Waitangi Tribunal challenge who yesterday followed a cabinet decision to proceed with the Bill’s introduction on Thursday, two weeks ahead of schedule with its own directions.

The Tribunal had indicated it would release it urgency findings on 7 November but instead will make its findings public today.

Tuku says the Tribunal’s decision to release stage two of its urgency findings one day earlier than anticipated means the overwhelming evidence will now be on the table for debate.

“This governments reckless use of its legislative powers is akin to what we see in dictatorship regimes where human rights are regularly trampled by their political leaders,” says Tuku.

“This is not how modern first world democracies should operate because we know unfettered power promotes corrupt decision-making processes and distrust in our political leadership and direction.

The judiciary serves an important purpose as one of the three branches of government in Aotearoa and Tuku says as a permanent commission of enquiry the Waitangi Tribunal must be empowered to do its job and not allow governments to dictate how it operates.

“As a party to the urgency hearing Waikato-Tainui supports the Waitangi tribunals recommendations which are an international embarrassment for this government,” says Tuku Morgan.

Contact: Jason Ake 0272010061