Treaty Principles Bill
What it actually does
ACT bill that would have set statutory definitions of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, framed around equal rights for all citizens, and put them to a referendum. Voted down at its second reading on 10 April 2025 by 112 votes to 11, with only ACT in favour.
Source: 1News · 2025-04
The Trump take
“112 to 11? That's a rigged vote, folks. Total witch hunt. David should have called me, I'd have told him how to win.”parody
Why it scored this way
Identity politics
Pitched as ending race-based distinctions in law
+2
Loves it
On the same topics
Cut spending and foreign aid back to 2017 levels
ACT's fiscal plan would return non-welfare spending to 2017 levels (adjusted for inflation and growth), cut the annual operating allowance from $2.4b to $2b, reduce foreign aid to 2017 levels (excluding aid to Ukraine) and abolish 'demographic' ministries. ACT says net core Crown debt would be $12.4b lower than forecast; health, education, defence, police and children's services are exempt.
'One Law for All' constitutional changes and limits on tikanga in courts
ACT's 2026 Treaty policy would write parliamentary sovereignty, the rule of law and equality before the law into the Constitution Act, add a property right to the Bill of Rights Act, and restrict courts to using tikanga only where Parliament expressly allows it. Bills referring to the Treaty would require Cabinet to specify the interests and obligations involved; it replaces the Treaty Principles Bill and referendum from the previous campaign.
Disestablishment of the Māori Health Authority
A National 100-day plan commitment, the bill to disestablish Te Aka Whai Ora passed under urgency 68-54 in February 2024, with most of its functions and staff moving to Health New Zealand from 30 June 2024.