For the past year, we have been hearing about the need for a “national debate” about Te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi, its principles and its effects on New Zealand’s democracy.

Many have said that what they see as a divisive and fundamentally flawed bill – written by a party that only received 8.6% of the vote, with no consultation of one of the Treaty signatories – is not an appropriate basis for such a debate.

But interest raised by the bill brought in around 300,000 submissions, tripling the previous record and crashing the Parliamentary website due to overload on what was to have been the final day for submissions.

Our first Catalyst Kōrero for 2025 brings Treaty expert Prof Janine Hayward to Queenstown to help better inform our local discussion on this pivotal and often tense issue.

The national hīkoi and other hīkoi around New Zealand, including Queenstown, and the world focused attention on opposition to the Treaty principles contained in the ACT Party’s bill.

So what exactly is the Treaty Principles Bill about? Why is it causing so much controversy? 

Prof Hayward, former head of politics at Otago University, has researched, taught and published on various aspects of New Zealand politics, including the Treaty of Waitangi and New Zealand’s constitution, since the late 1990s. She wrote the chapter on treaty principles for Te Ara/Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. So bring along your questions…

This event is brought to you by CATALYST