As 2025 draws to a close, we want to extend our thanks for your continued support. It has been another busy year, and together we have achieved some notable wins — including legislation restoring Parliament’s original intent for the Marine and Coastal Area Act, the return of local voting rights on Māori wards imposed by councils, the removal of the statutory requirement for school boards to “give effect to the Treaty of Waitangi”, and Auckland Council’s decision to scale back the proposed co-governance body for the Waitākere Ranges to an advisory forum.
None of this progress would have been possible without your support and involvement, along with those of the many citizens who stand with us in championing the fundamental principles of democracy and equal citizenship.
However, the year has not been without its challenges. The Coalition Government pledged to defend the principle that all New Zealanders are equal before the law, with the same rights and obligations, and that it will not advance policies that ascribe different rights and responsibilities based on race or ancestry. Yet legislation continues to be introduced that contradicts these principles. For instance, we see the Gene Technology Bill and the proposed local government standardised code of conduct that ascribe different rights to citizens based on race. We also see this in the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Act, which is now in force. This legislation establishes twelve so-called ‘High Protection Areas,’ within which commercial* and recreational fishing is prohibited. Yet customary fishing by tangata whenua is explicitly allowed. (*Limited commercial fishing will be allowed in 2 HPAs).
Activities that are illegal for the majority become legal for a select group solely because of ancestry.
Furthermore, although the biodiversity objectives for these sites will be set in partnership with Māori, customary fishing will operate independently of those objectives.
Laws governing the Hauraki Gulf High Protection Areas and their associated biodiversity objectives are an expression of Māori sovereignty (‘tino rangatiratanga’ and ‘mana motuhake’). Even though Māori/iwi are involved in developing the rules, they retain the right to decide for themselves whether to follow them.
Much larger areas than previously are now being designated marine protection zones that ban fishing for others, while still allowing customary fishing controlled by iwi. To understand how customary fishing is managed, an Official Information Act request was sent to the Ministry for Primary Industries asking for the total amount of fish harvested under customary authorisations in 2024. However, we have hit a brick wall: the Ministry declined to release the information, stating it cannot provide the data to the public. You can read about their reasons below at: Customary Catch Data: Why the secrecy?
Another policy that directly contradicts the Coalition’s promise to end race-based laws is being written into the new Gene Technology Bill. Last month, we urged you to write to the government to request the removal of the race-based provisions from the Bill— see Scientific evidence must guide Gene Technology — not race. If you have not already done so, you may be interested in using Hobson’s Pledge submission-making tool to send a message to the ministers. This can be accessed here: www.genetechgrift.nz/
Situations such as these reflect a growing pattern of laws, policies, and government decisions (both central and local bodies) that divide New Zealanders by race. As Hobson’s Pledge noted when launching a recent petition, it is time to draw the line and insist that all New Zealanders be treated equally, regardless of ancestry. “That was the promise made in 1840, and it remains the foundation of a free and fair nation.” Click HERE for a link to the Hobson’s Pledge ‘One Law for All’ petition.
The plan to do away with regional councils
While not exactly typical holiday reading, we recommend looking at the government’s proposal for the most significant shake-up of the regional councils for 30 years. We have been invited to provide feedback on the discussion document, Simplifying Local Government: Draft Proposal, and have until 20 February 2026 to submit it. Read more about this below at: Regional Councils out, New Power Structure in — Have your Say.
One last thing I am suggesting we do this year is to support the Minister of Education in her stance to remove the legal requirement for schools and education agencies to “give effect to” the Treaty principles in all policies, practices, and curriculum decisions. This compulsory ideological framework has distorted educational priorities, placing political activism above core learning. Instead, the Minister is refocusing on literacy, numeracy, science, and the essential knowledge every child needs.
What you can do right now: Contact your local MP, the Minister of Education (Hon Erica Stanford, email: [email protected]), and your children’s school. Let them know you support the Minister’s decision to prioritise reading, writing, and maths over the promotion of political ideology.
Recommended reading
This month's must-read is Fiona Mackenzie's opinion piece on Breaking Views, titled “The ‘Land Back’ Pogrom — Most Kiwis Don’t See It Coming”. In her commentary, Fiona contends that although New Zealanders have long trusted our land title registration system, this security is being steadily eroded in practice. The increasing number of land occupations, harassment of owners, and the expanding scope of “customary” claims are undermining private property rights, while affected landowners receive little or no support from either the central government or local councils. “If the country continues down this path, we should not expect peace, prosperity, or social cohesion. We should expect something much darker: a society where democratic rights are conditional, property rights are uncertain, and truth is whatever those in power choose it to be.”
For other recommended commentaries, please check the Democracy Action Facebook page. Also, as Waitangi Day approaches, you may want to visit our Treaty Facts page on the Democracy Action website. It provides accurate information to counter the misinformation that often floods the media and the rhetoric around our supposedly ‘national day.’
STOP PRESS! The Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill - the long-awaited replacement for the Resource Management Act – were introduced to Parliament on Tuesday (9 December). For a list of key features, click HERE to visit the Ministry for the Environment site. And HERE for the overview of the Bills, which together run to 744 pages! The invitation to submit has not yet been announced, but the word is that the opportunity will close mid-January. (Who needs a summer holiday anyway!)
Thank you for your continued interest and support. If you have any suggestions you would like to offer, or if you need further information or help, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
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Last but not least, we send our best wishes to you and your loved ones for a happy, healthy, and safe Christmas and holiday season. We look forward to working with you again in the new year.
Kind regards,
Susan Short