The Iwi Chairs Forum has appealed to King Charles, who is both king of New Zealand and Commonwealth countries including the UK, for help upholding the honour of the second Treaty of Waitangi party, the Crown.
In its letter, the forum, which represents 80 iwi, said there had been an “attack” on the Treaty by the New Zealand National-led coalition government.
It asked the King “to ensure that the government does not diminish the Crown’s honour” through its actions.
“Please remind them to respect their responsibility to act as an honourable partner on your behalf,” the letter said.
The group’s letter, first published in The Guardian, was sent after the nationwide hīkoi protesting the Treaty Principles Bill, which culminated in more than 43,000 people marching on Parliament.
The letter was signed by more than 500 people, with signatures of rangatira from “whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori forum”.
The forum letter said it was concerned about the withdrawal of Māori wards on local bodies, changes to resource management rules and less support for he Māori language. It asked King Charles “to ensure that the government does not diminish “the Crown’s honour” through its actions.
“Please remind them to respect their responsibility to act as an honourable partner on your behalf,” the letter read.
“We would welcome an opportunity to have regular contact with you or your office to build a closer relationship and realise the Tiriti ‘promise of two peoples to take the best possible care of each other’.
“We are united in our grave concerns about what these actions will do to our whānau.”
