Te Tiriti Commitment

To achieve te Tiriti o Waitangi outcomes first and foremost requires a commitment to te Tiriti and strong support by everybody. 

Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi is our nation's founding document and recognises the special place of Māori in New Zealand. 

Recognising and providing for te Tiriti o Waitangi outcomes enables Māori to exercise rangatiratanga in decisions that matter to and affect them.

For whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori communities among our stakeholders, recognising te Tiriti outcomes includes access to cultural and traditional taonga and mātauranga. 

This means delivery for Māori, as Māori, through Māori organisations in relation to:

• a flourishing language
• access to customary Māori arts and culture
• activities and initiatives that support Māori development.

Te Tiriti outcomes for hapū and iwi also mean acknowledging and recognising their mana, and protection of their rights and interests. This reflects their important relationship to the whenua and wai.

Treaty principles provide guidance for decision-making, partnership, and collaboration between mana whenuaand government. They also create opportunities for partnerships with the private and third sectors. 

Treaty partnerships in natural resource management provide integrated approaches. These produce holistic and sustainable environmental, social and cultural outcomes that benefit our communities. 

Mana whenua as kaitiaki are strengthened through successful Treaty partnerships such as those that use co-governance and co-management models.