To the New Zealand Government,

No matter our background, family, or where we grew up, most of us want to live in a country where all of us can be valued for who we are. Where we celebrate the unique strengths and knowledge that we bring, and all people, families and communities can set their own path to thrive.

But the laws, policies and rules of Aotearoa do not value all of us equitably. Established in the image of British colonial power, people in our successive governments have ignored our social need for honourable and just relationships with tangata whenua. We acknowledge the severe and ongoing injustices of colonisation through actions by the Crown and its governors — suppression of language, culture, institutions, and laws, and alienation of land — have created intergenerational harms in need of restoration.

As a result of that injustice, unfair divisions have been created that hurt all of us, especially whānau Māori. They harm our relationships and our ability to solve problems together so that our families, communities and wider society can flourish.

Our foundational documents, He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, gave us clear direction on how we can value all of us, and live in respectful relationship with each other. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) reflects the intentions of those documents, and connects us into a global network of people prepared to honour the strengths, knowledge and authority of Indigenous communities. Together, these documents promise relationships that benefit us all, and enable us to contribute to the wellbeing and future of Aotearoa. They strengthen our unity and relationships by honouring our differences.

As members of civil society, we are concerned about the recent indication that progress toward meeting our Declaration (UNDRIP) obligations may be put on hold at the Cabinet meeting on 19 December 2022. We’re writing to express our support for the work to continue. It offers a way forward for all of our communities, so that our mokopuna might live in a just Te Tiriti future, where restoration and healing from the harms of our shared past have taken place.

We stand in solidarity and support with Māori who are leading the UNDRIP process. We commit to working with our own communities to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi. And we ask that you keep working toward the plan in the coming year.

Lately, we’ve seen some great progress towards honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

More than one million of us have taken part in Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori. We celebrated Matariki — many of us for the first time — on its first public holiday. 32 new Māori Wards enable our councils to make great decisions for our communities and environment, with stronger representation. Te Aka Whai Ora — the Māori Health Authority — has given detail to the blueprint for how we can better organise resources and decision-making to look after everyone’s health. Unsung actions are being taken across Aotearoa by people of all backgrounds. People in businesses, schools, community and faith groups are working hard to better honour Te Tiriti.

But we’ve also seen backlash to that progress, just as other great moves toward equity from our past were met with attempts to drive us apart by stirring up fear over change.

We ask that leaders do not lose heart, or commitment to this work, which uplifts all of us and will strengthen our communities and relationships in the years to come.

Ngā mihi,

ActionStation Aotearoa
Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono
Tauiwi Tautoko
350 Aotearoa
Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers / Te Rōpū Tauwhiro i Aotearoa
Asylum Seekers Support Trust
Auckland Action Against Poverty
Barbarian Productions
Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research & Evaluation (CARE)
Child Poverty Action Group
Citizen Advice Bureau
Climate Karanga Marlborough
Coal Action Network Aotearoa
Community Networks Aotearoa / Te Hapori Tuhononga o Aotearoa
Free Store Wellington
Generation Zero
Greenpeace Aotearoa
Groundwork
Howard League
Human Rights Foundation
Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
Multicultural Nelson
Network Waitangi Ōtautahi
NZEI Te Riu Roa
New Zealand Psychological Society / Rōpū Mātai Hinengaro o Aotearoa
New Zealand Speech-language Therapists’ Association / Te Kāhui Kaiwhakatikatika Reo Kōrero o Aotearoa
Ora Taiao: NZ Climate and Health Council
Oxfam Aotearoa
Parents for Climate Aotearoa
Peace Movement Aotearoa
PEN International
People Against Prisons Aotearoa
Physiotherapy NZ / Kōmiri Aotearoa
Podiatry NZ
Poverty Action Waikato
Protect Our Winters NZ
Public Health Association of New Zealand / Kāhui Hauora Tūmatanui
STIR
Tangata Tiriti — Treaty People
Te Kuaka — New Zealand Alternative
Te Muka Rau
Te Rau Ora
Te Reo o Ngā Tāngata
Te Waka Hourua
Tertiary Education Union / Te Hautū Kahurangi
The Aunties
The Basket Hauraki
The New Zealand Speech Language Therapists Association
Treaty Action Collective
Unite Union
Volunteering New Zealand
VOYCE Whakarongo Mai
Wesley Community Action
Jane Kelsey
Dr Heather Came
Sue Bradford
David Williams
Catherine Delahunty
Tim Howard
Seán Manning
Lynne Holdem
Catriona Cairns
Ros Noonan

If your organisation would like to support the open letter please contact ellagrace@actionstation.org.nz