Rawiri Wright, co-chair of Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa, has rejected claims that Māori receive special privileges, telling the Justice Select Committee there is no such advantage in legislation—particularly in Kura Kaupapa Māori, on day 6 of oral submissions on the Treaty Principles Bill.
His comments come in response to ACT leader David Seymour’s argument that Māori have preferential treatment under the law.
“Not everyone that attends Kōhanga reo, te kura kaupapa Māori are all Māori. They’re people of all races, so rather than seeing them as unifying options, this person [Seymour] and his cohort are seeing them as separatism and divisive.”
A 2024 report from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) reveals that nearly three-quarters of Year 12 and 13 students at Kura Kaupapa Māori achieved NCEA Levels 2 or 3 in 2023.
Wright criticised the proposed legislation, stating that instead of recognising the success and contributions of Kura Kaupapa Māori to all New Zealanders, the bill frames them as unnecessary.
“If this bill proceeds, it would threaten their existence, our existence.”
Leading te reo advocate raises concerns on proposed bill
Rawinia Higgins, Chairperson of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Victoria University, has voiced concerns about the potential impact of the proposed bill on Māori communities, particularly regarding the interpretation and application of Treaty principles.
“The contention between the two versions, the Treaty of Waitangi and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, has been debated for generations. Particularly because they do not translate within one another,”
In her submission, Higgins stressed the need to uphold the integrity of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, advocating for legislative changes that genuinely reflect the aspirations and rights of Māori.
“This bill has single-handedly caused more social division in the past 50 years combined. Fighting misunderstandings and challenging knowledge, empowering youth. Māori overcoming unequal rules,”
Auckland Council, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, with Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamata submitting completely in te reo Māori.
Ko te reo Māori te reo o Te Tiriti o Waitangi
E ai ki a Ahorangi Rawinia Higgins, ko te reo Māori te reo o te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Ka mutu, he reo kei te tipu haere ki waenganui i ngā tāngata o Aotearoa.
“More New Zealanders are embracing the te reo as a vital part of their national identity. Yet those supporting this bill appear to be largely monolingual and threatened by their little understanding of te reo and te Tiriti. ”
“Haere ki te pānui i ngā kōrero. Kei roto e hia ngā kōrero mō tēnei kaupapa i te Tiriti o Waitangi. Kei maumau o rātou roro, haere ki te pānui.”
