Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975

Introduction

You could also call this:

"Following the Treaty of Waitangi's Promises"

This Act is about making sure the Treaty of Waitangi is followed. You will have a group of people, called a Tribunal, who help with this. They look at claims about how the Treaty is applied in real life and make recommendations.

The Tribunal also checks if some things are not in line with the Treaty's principles. They do this to help keep the Treaty's promises. You can think of the Tribunal like a group of helpers who make sure everyone follows the same rules.

The Tribunal's job is to make recommendations on claims and to decide if certain things go against the Treaty's principles. This helps to keep the Treaty strong and fair for everyone.

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This page was last updated on 26 May 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM435367.

Highlights from this law

5: Functions of Tribunal

What the Waitangi Tribunal does to help with important Māori issues and claims.

6: Jurisdiction of Tribunal to consider claims

The Tribunal can help Māori with unfair claims about the Treaty of Waitangi

4: Waitangi Tribunal

The Waitangi Tribunal is a group that helps solve important issues between the government and Maori people.

8: Jurisdiction of Tribunal to consider proposed legislation

The Tribunal checks new laws to see if they are fair to Maori people according to the Treaty of Waitangi.

6AA: Limitation of Tribunal's jurisdiction in relation to historical Treaty claims

Rules about when Māori can't make old Treaty claims

7: Tribunal may refuse to inquire into claim

The Tribunal can say no to looking into a claim if it's not important or if you have another way to solve the problem.

8A: Recommendations in respect of land transferred to or vested in State enterprise

What happens to Maori land given to a State enterprise and how it can be returned

8I: Annual report on implementation of recommendations

The government must report each year on how it's doing with the Tribunal's suggestions.

Topics:

Māori affairs > Treaty of Waitangi

1: Short Title, or

"The name of this law is the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975."

Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975

Reprint as at:: 2025-05-22
Assent:: 1975-10-10
Commencement:: 10 October 1975

The Parliamentary Counsel Office has made editorial and format changes to this version using the powers under subpart 2 of Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

Note 4 at the end of this version provides a list of the amendments included in it.

This Act is administered by the Te Puni Kōkiri.

An Act to provide for the observance, and confirmation, of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi by establishing a Tribunal to make recommendations on claims relating to the practical application of the Treaty and to determine whether certain matters are inconsistent with the principles of the Treaty