Most people view te Tiriti o Waitangi as a “source of strength,” the Human Rights Commission’s Claire Charters (Ngāti Whakaue, Tūwharetoa, Ngā Puhi, Tainui) says.
The rongomau taketake (indigenous rights partner) for the commission, Charters was responding to a Horizon Research survey conducted for the commission earlier this month, revealing people see te Tiriti o Waitangi as a partnership.
The survey found 70% of New Zealanders believed it was important for Māori and non-Māori to decide together on an equal footing how te Tiriti o Waitangi was honoured, while 80% thought respectful discussion of racial issues was important, the commission reported on its website.
“Te Tiriti is our founding human rights document in Aotearoa New Zealand and, as this survey highlights, most people want us to build on it as a source of strength for our country,” Charters said in the report.
Sixty-four per cent agreed that working together required more careful listening and understanding and less political rhetoric, it said.
“Te Tiriti is well recognised as a partnership between Māori and non-Māori, and both parties should be making decisions about the future together, on an equal playing field,” Charters said.
“In that sense, it’s not the government alone nor Māori alone who have the final say, but it’s both working together.”
The survey highlighted that more education is required, with 32% not having read any version or summary of the Treaty/ Te Tiriti and considering themselves uninformed about it.
“There is more work to be done to build a shared understanding of te Tiriti o Waitangi and our roles and responsibilities,” Charters said.
The survey was conducted nationwide between 2-7 November 2023, with 1,076 respondents aged 18+. At a 95% confidence level, the survey has a margin of error of ±3%.