Mike Bain/cvnznews.com
NZ First Targets Waitangi Tribunal, Promising To Shut It Down Within 100 Days
New Zealand First has thrown a political hand grenade into the election campaign, promising to abolish the Waitangi Tribunal within its first 100 days in office and declaring an end to what it calls New Zealand’s “Treaty grievance industry.”
The proposal, unveiled by leader Winston Peters over the weekend, would replace the Tribunal with a temporary Treaty of Waitangi Completion Commission tasked with finishing outstanding historical claims lodged before 2008. Once that work is complete, the commission would cease to exist.
NZ First argues the Tribunal has drifted far beyond its original purpose of investigating historical Treaty grievances and now functions as a taxpayer-funded platform for challenging decisions made by elected governments.
The party claims some modern inquiries effectively question Parliament’s right to legislate, which Peters says represents a threat to democratic decision-making. The policy would transfer responsibility for contemporary Treaty issues, Crown-Māori relations and settlement implementation to the Ministry of Māori Development.
But the proposal is already shaping up as one of the most divisive issues of Election 2026.
Support has come from ACT, which announced a similar policy earlier this month. ACT leader David Seymour welcomed NZ First’s announcement, saying the two parties shared the goal of ending the Tribunal’s role after historical claims are resolved.
Critics, however, argue abolishing the Tribunal would remove one of the few independent mechanisms available to scrutinise Crown actions under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Te Pāti Māori has advocated strengthening the Tribunal’s authority, including making its recommendations binding, saying it remains a vital institution for holding governments accountable for Treaty breaches.
The debate comes as the Tribunal continues to hear contemporary inquiries into areas including Māori health, education and Treaty-related government policy. Recent findings have examined the Crown’s approach to Māori health following the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora, illustrating the Tribunal’s continuing role in modern policy disputes.
With NZ First and ACT now aligned on winding down the Tribunal, and Te Pāti Māori calling for stronger powers, voters face a stark choice over the future of one of New Zealand’s most influential Treaty institutions.
