At The Diversity Agenda, we champion the voices of our members and their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Guided by this mission, we’ve submitted our opposition to the proposed Treaty of Waitangi Bill 2024. This Bill poses significant risks to the values we hold dear, particularly in upholding Māori rights as tāngata whenua and Treaty partners.
Our full submission, including key concerns and recommendations, is available below.
Tēnā koutou
Thank you for the opportunity to provide commentary on the Treaty of Waitangi Bill (the Bill). The Diversity Agenda does not support the Bill.
Executive Summary
The Diversity Agenda strongly opposes the Treaty of Waitangi Bill 2024 due to its detrimental impact on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), particularly in the context of Māori rights as tāngata whenua and Treaty partners. Our fundamental position is that presenting the Bill position ahead of a kōrero between Crown and Māori is premature and disrespectful to the mana of Te Tiriti and The Treaty. As an organisation driving DEI within the engineering and architecture professions, we believe the Bill poses significant risks to Māori representation and participation in our sector.
Who we are
The Diversity Agenda is a joint initiative from Engineering New Zealand Te Āo Rangahau, the Association of Consulting and Engineering New Zealand (ACE), and Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects.
Our members are small, medium and large engineering and architecture firms who are signatories to The Diversity Agenda, committed to creating equitable and inclusive cultures where everybody thrives, and to increasing participation of Māori, Pacific peoples and women+ and other under-represented groups so that the world we crease is as diverse and inspiring as the people in it.
Our members contribute significantly to Aotearoa, through the design, delivery, and construction of our largest infrastructure projects, our built environment and our communities. Our members are committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the need to bring the cultural knowledge and traditions of Te Āo Māori to shape our built and natural environments.
Key Concerns
- No Participation by all Treaty partners in the Development of the Bill
Te Tiriti is one of our nations founding documents. It platforms us toward working within and with our differences toward a balanced society celebrating difference. Te Tiriti is a guiding document between multiple peoples that strives toward unity. Te Tiriti inspires us all as a nation. We celebrate diversity, we embrace diversity, it makes us better people, it is the foundational premise to aroha, it provides us a richer more inclusive society.
The Diversity Agenda opposes the Bill due to the approach that it took to get to Parliament. The values of the Bill undermine respectful processes with Māori – a co-signing people to Te Tiriti. One group deciding this for the nation does not align with the values of the Diversity Agenda as we strive for equity and inclusion. We recognise the mana of all people and we engage those voices and that mana for joint discussion and decision making. We feel the Bill process sets itself against these values and therefore we cannot support the Bill.
- Implications for Māori Participation in Engineering and Architecture
Māori are under-represented in engineering and architecture professions, and this Bill risks further marginalising their voices. By diminishing the distinct status of Māori as Treaty partners, the Bill undermines efforts to build inclusive environments that celebrate and protect diverse cultural identities. This is counterproductive to the values of innovation and collaboration that are central to the engineering and architecture professions. Furthermore, ensuring equitable representation of Māori in decision-making is critical for diversifying the infrastructure and built environment sectors and creating engineering and architecture professions where Māori perspectives can thrive.
Recommendations
To uphold the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, The Diversity Agenda recommends the following:
- Abandon the Treaty of Waitangi Bill 2024: The current proposal was not respectful of it’s co-partner and completely undermines Te Tiriti o Waitangi and further risks perpetuating systemic inequities.
- Engage in Genuine Consultation with Māori: The Diversity Agenda seeks to elevate and co-design outcomes with marginalised groups by having those groups’ voices at the table to jointly state and move on a position. Future legislative efforts must prioritise the inclusion of Māori as Treaty partners to ensure policies reflect their rights, needs, and aspirations.
- Reaffirm Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a Foundational Framework for DEI: Incorporate Te Tiriti principles into policy-making to strengthen equity and inclusion across all sectors, including infrastructure and the built environment, in which the engineering and architecture professions play an important role.
- Invest in Initiatives that Support Māori Representation: Increase support for programmes that enable Māori to thrive in professional sectors, including leadership development programmes for Māori, unconscious bias and allyship programmes for non-Māori, and targets within organisations and government procurement policies to address barriers to entry and advancement of Māori in engineering and architecture.
Conclusion
The Treaty of Waitangi Bill 2024 represents a step backward in fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive society. By disregarding Māori as Treaty partners, the Bill undermines the foundational principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and risks exacerbating systemic inequities. The Diversity Agenda urges the Select Committee to reject this Bill and to commit to legislative processes that honour Māori rights, promote inclusion, and reflect the values of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Submitted on behalf of The Diversity Agenda by:
Josie FitzGerald, Chair of The Diversity Agenda Steering Committee, Josie.fitzgerald@aurecongroup.com, 021 937648
