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Representatives of over 80 Maori tribes were directly addressed King Charles IIIurging him to intervene New Zealanddomestic politics in the middle escalating tensions over the government’s approach to Maori rights.
The National Iwi Chairs Forum, a collective of tribal leaders, wrote an open letter to the monarch, expressing concern over the what they describe as ongoing violations of the Treaty of Waitangi – New Zealand’s founding document signed in 1840 by Maori chiefs and the British Crown. The treaty is seen as crucial in protecting Maori rights.
“We’ve had 184 years of pandering to the government’s decency and good will, and it hasn’t been reciprocated,” Mr Aperahama Edwards, chairman of the Ngāti Wai tribe and leader of the forum, was quoted as saying The Guardian. “The thinking is to bring it [these issues] draw the attention of King Charles with the hope that he will be able to intervene.”
The two-page letter highlights concerns over legal changes introduced by New Zealand’s right-wing coalition government, which critics claim have abrogated Maori rights. These include cracking down on the use of the Maori language in public services, scrapping health institutions designed to tackle inequality and introducing controversial legislation that could radically change the interpretation of treaties.
Earlier last month, about 10,000 people took to the streets, marching towards Wellington to oppose a bill that seeks to redefine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. First signed in 1840 between the British Crown and more than 500 Maori chiefs, the treaty establishes how the two parties agreed to rule. Interpretation of clauses in the document continues to guide legislation and policy.
Act New Zealand, the junior partner in the ruling centre-right coalition government, has introduced the bill, which it promised during last year’s election. The party has criticized the division of some governance issues between the state and Māori, arguing that non-indigenous citizens are losing out to policies designed to uplift Māori.
But Maori and their supporters say the law undermines the rights of the country’s indigenous people, who make up about 20 percent of the population of 5.3 million.
The coalition partners are the National Party and New Zealand First only supporting the bill in the first of three readings. Both parties have said they will not support it becoming law, meaning it will almost certainly fail.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon previously confirmed his National Party would not support the bill progressing past first reading.
However, the forum in its letter accuses the government of attacking the agreement, with a risk-taking policy separating Māori children from their heritage, jeopardizing land protection and marine resources, and reducing the role of the Waitangi Tribunal. The tribunal investigates contract violations and has previously criticized government guidelines.
Maori leaders fear the measures have fueled anti-Maori rhetoric and soured their relationship with the Crown.
Professor Margaret Mutu, chair of the forum and an academic at the University of Auckland, described the policy as a “serious breach of the agreement” and called on the king to remind the government of its obligations.
The letter begins with acknowledging King Charles’ family ties to Maori leadership and the legacy of Queen Victoria, who oversaw the signing of the treaty. Reference is made to the King’s Commonwealth Address in 2022, where he spoke about acknowledging historical injustices and building a future that benefits all citizens.
“As a constitutional monarch of the Crown and a descendant of Queen Victoria, we seek your intervention to ensure that the government does not diminish the honor of the Crown,” the letter said, adding that the signatories were united in their “serious concern” for the future of Māori families.
Additional agency reporting