The Treaty of Waitangi and its Influence on Legislation in New Zealand

This assignment delves into the Treaty of Waitangi, a pivotal agreement between Maori chiefs and the British Crown in 1840. It explores the principles derived from the treaty, which have significantly influenced New Zealand's legislation, particularly in areas like health and land rights. The assignment discusses how these principles have shaped laws and decision-making processes, referencing specific examples such as the land commissions established to address historical grievances and the impact on fisheries and place names. The assignment concludes with references to relevant literature, highlighting the importance of understanding the Treaty of Waitangi's ongoing influence on New Zealand's legal and social landscape.

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Table of Contents
Discussion on the Treaty of Waitangi principles in legislation....................................................................2
References...................................................................................................................................................3

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Discussion on the Treaty of Waitangi principles in legislation
The Treaty of Waitangi was approved in 1840 and it was an agreement between a large
number of Maori chiefs and the British Crown. Basically, the Principles of the Treaty of
Waitangi have tried to reconcile different versions of English language and te reo Maori versions
to the Treaty of Waitangi. Moreover, the Treaty of Waitangi is determined to be a pivotal
document that must be included in the health approaches and legislation (Moon, 2015). The
principles were mainly originated from the well-known case bought by the New Zealand Maori
Council in the High Court. The Principles of Treaty of Waitangi have enacted and impacted
different legislation in specific issues in terms of political, legal and social aspects. Therefore,
the principles strongly influenced the laws and decision making of the governments.
An example of the full and final settlement of Treaty of Waitangi Principles is in 1920,
investigations on iwi grievances have been held for the land commissions whose land was
fraudulently acquired or confiscated in the previous century (Brewer & Andrews, 2016). In this
particular settlement, most of the land was found to be valid. Other such examples are Fisheries,
Hauai, Rotoma and any more. The settlements involved a change in the official name of the
places.

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References
Brewer, K. M., & Andrews, W. (2016). Foundations of equitable speech-language therapy for
all: The Treaty of Waitangi and Māori health. Speech, Language and Hearing, 19(2), 87-
95.
Moon, P. (2015). The Influence of ‘Benthamite’Philosophies on British Colonial Policy on New
Zealand in the Era of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Journal of Imperial and
Commonwealth History, 43(3), 367-386.