The Canterbury Regional Council has called on the Government to withdraw the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, citing concerns over its potential to harm trust and collaboration with Ngāi Tahu, the regional iwi.

Councillors agreed to make a formal submission to the Justice Committee opposing the Bill, which they believed undermined the long-standing partnership built on Treaty principles in the Canterbury region.

ECan Chair Craig Pauling said “There are many times in human history where people should have said something, and they didn’t. I don’t believe that speaking out on this issue will inflame the situation – instead, our submission provided clarity and gave our view.”

The Council’s submission raised concerns across three key areas: Constitutional issues, The Canterbury context and Financial and operational impacts.

One major concern was the lack of consultation with Māori during the development of the Bill, which the Council argued was inconsistent with the Crown’s Treaty obligations to act honourably and in good faith.

The submission highlighted the success of the Council’s partnership with Ngāi Tahu, which had been built on the practical application of Treaty principles tailored to the regional context. ECan argued the Bill failed to account for regional nuances and limited the flexibility that had been key to strengthening its relationship with Ngāi Tahu over time.

Chair Pauling said the Bill didn’t align with the Treaty itself, neither the Māori nor the European version, and could fundamentally damage partnerships.

“People mentioned that our partnership should be strong enough to remain should the Bill be passed into law. But it’s hard to make a partnership work when one partner’s rights have been diminished. Partnerships have to be mutually beneficial, or they just won’t work,” Pauling said.

The Council also warned of increased costs if the Bill became law. Operational efficiencies achieved through its partnership approach could have been undone, and the submission flagged a likely rise in litigation as councils and stakeholders navigated the new principles.

The Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill was introduced to Parliament on 7 November 2024 and was open for public submissions until 7 January 2025.