Like the Treaty itself, Treaty principles bill is drafted to mislead

“We’ve come a long way as a country, and we can go even further. Let’s not give up now. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is between Māori and the Crown — mana to mana. The Treaty provides a foundation for us all to work together. Let’s not change it; that would harm us.”
Opinion: These were words spoken by the late Kiingi Tūheitia at the 18th anniversary of his coronation shortly before he died. I felt incredibly moved and inspired by the coverage of his tangihanga and the election of his daughter as the new head of the Kiingitanga movement. The grief gave way to the joy in the faces of the young people, as she was elevated to this role. Kuini Nga wai hono i te po represents a future for our nation that makes me feel incredibly optimistic.