Spelman Ngāti Hikairo Ki Kāwhia Anton Hikairo, Dieriks Birger Victor
Faculty of Science, Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
J R Soc N Z. 2025 Jul 3;55(6):2255-2259. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2025.2526186. eCollection 2025.
The governance of Aotearoa New Zealand continues to be shaped by ongoing debates over the interpretation and implementation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Recent legislative proposals, such as the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the Regulatory Standards Bill, highlight the persistent tensions between Māori and Western epistemologies. These tensions are not merely legal disputes but reflect deeper worldview differences that shape decision-making, authority and relational obligations. This viewpoint argues for a Tiriti Relationships Framework that moves beyond adversarial, binary approaches to governance and instead prioritises relational engagement. Rather than treating Te Tiriti as a static legal document, we propose a framework honouring tino rangatiratanga (Māori self-determination) and kāwanatanga (Crown governance) through codecision-making and power-sharing. By centring relationships, this model challenges the dominance of Western legalism and fosters governance structures that reflect Aotearoa's diverse and evolving social realities. Through examples, we demonstrate how relational approaches lead to more sustainable and equitable outcomes. We argue that reimagining governance in this way is essential for realising the full potential of Te Tiriti as a living and dynamic agreement that benefits all peoples of Aotearoa.
新西兰的治理仍受到围绕《怀唐伊条约》（Te Tiriti o Waitangi）解释与实施的持续辩论的影响。近期的立法提案，如《怀唐伊条约原则》和《监管标准法案》，凸显了毛利与西方认识论之间持续存在的紧张关系。这些紧张关系不仅是法律争端，还反映了塑造决策、权威和关系义务的更深层次的世界观差异。该观点主张建立一个超越对抗性、二元治理方法的《条约》关系框架，转而将关系参与置于优先地位。我们提议的框架并非将《怀唐伊条约》视为一份静态的法律文件，而是通过共同决策和权力共享来尊崇毛利自治（tino rangatiratanga）和王室治理（kāwanatanga）。通过以关系为核心，该模式挑战了西方法律主义的主导地位，并促进了反映新西兰多元且不断演变的社会现实的治理结构。通过实例，我们展示了关系方法如何带来更可持续和公平的结果。我们认为，以这种方式重新构想治理对于充分发挥《怀唐伊条约》作为一项惠及新西兰全体人民的鲜活且动态协议的全部潜力至关重要。
