Public Services International (PSI) stands in firm solidarity with Māori communities and public service workers in Aotearoa New Zealand who are facing unprecedented attacks on their rights, culture, and access to public services. Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi), signed in 1840, established the foundational relationship between two peoples - the Crown and Māori. This constitutional agreement, represented by the principle of Toitu (to be undisturbed, untouched and permanent), is now under threat from the Treaty Principles Bill.

PSI joins unions, including the Public Services Association (PSA), in opposing the Bill. PSA is supporting members to make submissions to the parliamentary select committee considering the Bill. 

The Bill would unilaterally change the meaning of Te Tiriti and its effect in law, without the agreement of Māori as Treaty partners. This unprecedented attempt by one coalition government to retrospectively reinterpret a constitutional treaty has sparked widespread opposition, including the recent Toitu hikoi (march) throughout Aotearoa. The message from these protests is clear: "Hands off and honour the Treaty."

Georgina Kerr, Kuia (Elder) of the New Zealand Public Service Association (PSA), explained on International Women's Day in 2022: ". From the beginning, the principles set out in the Treaty - partnership, participation and protection - have either not been upheld or have been used for the benefit of Pākehā to the detriment of Māori."

The current government's actions represent a dangerous regression in the nation's commitment to Indigenous rights and social justice. These include:

• Attempts to unilaterally reinterpret the Treaty

• Removal of Te Reo Māori (Māori language) from government agencies despite its official status

• Dismantling of institutions addressing systemic inequities

• Reduction of Māori influence in land and resource management

These measures violate both Te Tiriti o Waitangi and international law. ILO Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples - the only legally binding international instrument specifically protecting indigenous peoples' rights - requires governments to protect indigenous peoples' rights to consultation, participation in decisions affecting their lives, and control over their economic, social and cultural development. While Aotearoa New Zealand has endorsed the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, its failure to ratify ILO Convention 169 and its current actions show a concerning retreat from international indigenous rights standards. This comes at a time when Māori communities already face significant systemic disadvantages:

• Māori life expectancy is 7 to 7.4 years less than non-Māori

• The median income for Māori is just 71% that of Pākehā

• Over 25% of Māori leave upper secondary school with no qualifications

• The pay gap between Pākehā men and wāhine Māori stands at 23%

Lesley Dixon, PSA's first Māori Vice President and mental health worker, highlighted in 2022: "It has a huge impact on the type of work that they can do and what they are offered, which is usually low-paying jobs like care and health."

PSI stands in solidarity with the powerful response from Māori communities, unions and their allies, including the recent hikoi that brought 55,000 people to parliament. We support our affiliated unions, particularly the PSA and its Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Āwhina network of 10,000 Māori members, in their recognition of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and their stand against discriminatory actions.

We call on the government of Aotearoa New Zealand to:

1. Immediately withdraw the Treaty Principles Bill

2. Honor its obligations under both Te Tiriti o Waitangi and international law

3. Address the systemic inequities highlighted in the Mana Wahine claim (Wai 2864)

4. Strengthen rather than dismantle institutions addressing indigenous rights

5. Ensure proper funding for public services serving Māori communities

6. Ratify ILO Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples

As Georgina Kerr emphasised: "We must remain vigilant and resilient to the impact of colonisation on our people at all levels of society." PSI calls on our affiliated unions worldwide to support Māori workers and communities in this crucial struggle. We remain committed to fighting for a decolonized, feminist public service that serves all communities equitably and upholds both national and international legal obligations to indigenous peoples.