NEW YORK – Claire Charters, an expert in indigenous rights in international and constitutional law, has told the United Nations the New Zealand government is pushing the most “regressive” policies she has ever seen.
“New Zealand’s policy on the Declaration (on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) sits alongside its legislative strategy to dismantle Māori rights in Aotearoa New Zealand, which has received global attention for its regressiveness,” said Charters.
Charters, of Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāpuhi and Tainui descent, made the comment during an address last week to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII).
While in New York, Charters organised meetings between senior UN officials, New Zealand diplomats, and Māori attending UNPFII.
The officials included the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Rights, Dr. Albert Barume, and Sheryl Lightfoot, the Vice Chair of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP).
Charters said the New Zealand government should be of exceptional concern to the United Nations, given the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, has publicly expressed his rejection of the declaration.
In 2023, Peters’ party (NZ First) announced it would withdraw New Zealand from UNDRIP, citing concerns over race-based preferences. In the same year, Peters claimed Māori were not indigenous peoples.
“New Zealand’s current government, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs specifically, has expressly rejected the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It has committed to not implementing the Declaration,” said Charters.
Charters invited the special rapporteur to visit New Zealand but also noted that the government ignored EMRIP’s request for a follow-up visit to support New Zealand’s implementation of UNDRIP.
She also called on the Permanent Forum to take all measures to require New Zealand to implement the declaration.
