By:
NGĀI TE RANGI
PRESS RELEASE
Interviews conducted in Māori with our chairman and DCE available from 12pm and in English from 1pm
TRIBUNAL AGREES GOVERNMENT IS GASLIGHTING MĀORI
Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi has welcomed a landmark-tribunal ruling that has found the Government breached the Te Tiriti o Waitangi by downgrading the use of Te Reo Māori in favour of English.
The tribunal’s decision released today says the Government has failed to demonstrate “good faith, good governance or the conduct expected of a genuine Treaty partner”, in its actions.
Te Reo Māori not a ‘cultural decoration’
Ngāi Te Rangi chairman Charlie Tawhiao says the report confirms what iwi had known — that attempts to limit the visibility and use of Te Reo Māori were direct assaults on Māori sovereignty.
“It was a principled stand to uphold the mana of our people and defend the right to be Māori and prevent Te Reo from becoming marginalised again. The idea that our language could be seen as an obstacle or a problem rather than a taonga (treasure) is appalling.
“It has less to do with government agencies changing their names but the signal it's sending that Te Reo Māori is seen as a cultural decoration rather than a meaningful expression of our national identity, which includes all New Zealanders.”
He says we are not the opposition.
“We are the partners in this nation’s founding covenant. Our message is simple: act with honour, protect our Reo, and stop treating the country like a political bar fight.”
Calls for reset of Government–Māori relations
Ngāi Te Rangi deputy chief executive Roimata Ah Sam says the iwi is calling for an immediate reset of Government–Māori relations and urges ministers to meet with iwi leaders to reaffirm their commitment to Te Tiriti.
“The Government’s responsibility is to protect and promote Te Reo Māori instead of using it like a political football to divide our nation. Te Reo Māori is an official language of Aotearoa.” The tribunal has ruled that the Government actions are in contrary to the protection and promotion of Te Reo Māori. Ah Sam says there is a collective responsibility to ensure that another generation is not denied and silenced of Te Reo Māori.
The decision which states Te Reo Māori is a taonga of the highest importance and that the Government must fully support its use.
Instead, the Tribunal found recent Government actions reflected a broader pattern of behaviour that had negatively affected Māori rights and interests.
The Tribunal agreed with iwi that the Government’s actions in deprioritising the use of Te Reo Māori caused real prejudice.
“They show a lack of partnership and consultation on issues as vital as the use of Te Reo Māori within government, and risk undoing decades of progress in language revitalisation.”
“The Crown tried to downplay the implications of deprioritising Te Reo Māori, leading us to believe that everything was going to be okay. When really it was gaslighting Māori which was highlighted in the report.”
Political ambitions over Tiriti obligations
The decision also found Public Service Commission Te Kawa Mataaho’s advice to Minister Nicola Willis prioritised facilitating her political ambitions over the Government’s Tiriti obligations. It also noted new concerns after learning of plans to downgrade the placement of Te Reo Māori on New Zealand passports, reversing earlier efforts to celebrate and normalise the language.
Explainer
Ngāi Te Rangi led the urgent claim, alongside other iwi, after the Government coalition agreement was signed in November 2023. The agreement included a number of policies prioritising the use of English in public service departments.
The decision focuses on subsequent polices and actions including that all public service departments must have English names (unless specifically related to Māori), an expectation that government agencies communicate mainly in English, and a move to limit or reduce access to Te Reo Māori allowances for public servants.
The Tribunal found these policies resulted in breaches of key Tiriti principles, including tino rangatiratanga, partnership, good government and equity.
Tribunal recommendations
The Tribunal recommended the Government reverse recent policies limiting Te Reo Māori, strengthen legal protections, and ensure government agencies actively support and use the language. It also urged the Government to work in genuine partnership with Māori to restore trust and uphold its Tiriti obligations.
Contacts for media
Charlie Tawhiao 027 232 8470
Roimata Ah Sam 027 511 2526
October 24th, 2025
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