In just two days nearly 3500 visits were made to lawyer Roimata Smail’s online submissions template for the Treaty Principles Bill.
The author and educator from Ngāti Maniapoto and Tainui believes public participation should be accessible.
As legislation impacts all New Zealanders, Smail argued it’s vital for the Select Committee to hear from everyday people.
She created the template to provide a straightforward way for Kiwis who may not be academics or lawyers to have their say.
“This isn’t just for experts—every New Zealander has the right to tell the Select Committee what they think of this bill," says Smail.
“This is about democracy in action— ordinary New Zealanders telling those in power that the Treaty Principles Bill is wrong.”
The page has had 15,905 visits since last November and many have used it to express their opposition.
Smail says the public response to the Treaty Principles Bill in submissions and the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti reflects the growing understanding that Te Tiriti as a founding document is not just for academics and legal professionals to understand.
