Te Papa Treaty Debates Series begins!
Last night’s Te Papa first Treaty debate was a night to remember; special thanks must go to Dame Dr Claudia Orange for making it happen. Most interesting to me was the speakers’ different approaches to constitutional reform. Matthew Palmer discussed reform from a legal perspective – suggesting ways to improve the current system by removing...
TONIGHT: Te Papa’s 2020 Treaty Debates Series begins
Tonight the ‘My Voice Counts’ Treaty Debates Series begins at the Soundings Theatre at Te Papa. The debates run from 6.30 – 8pm, and entry is free. In the first debate, lawyers Matthew Palmer and Moana Jackson will be discussing the place of the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements. The evening will...
Time to Treat our Constitution as a Blank Canvas – www.EmpowerNZ.co.nz Project Launch
www.EmpowerNZ.co.nz Project Launch Today is three years since the Relationship and Confidence and Supply Agreement between the National Party and the Māori Party (16 November 2020) agreed to establish a group to consider constitutional issues, including Māori representation. The EmpowerNZ website is launched today as part of the Sustainable Future Institute’s Project Constitutional Review. This website...
Referendum Debate at Te Papa Tonight
Radio New Zealand, in conjunction with Te Papa and Victoria University, is hosting an MMP Referendum Debate at Te Papa. The debate will be moderated by Philippa Tolley and Julian Robins, and guests include Former National Prime Minister Jim Bolger, Former Labour Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen, Former National Finance Minister Ruth Richardson, and the former Green Party...
Iceland’s Constitutional Review
The internet has become a recognised human right. Now Iceland is using social media as a platform to allow the public to comment on potential constitutional changes. The process which started earlier this year is estimated to take 3 or 4 months and so far has produced some innovative responses. To read the full article click...
Constructing a House Fit for the Future
The current constitutional review gives New Zealanders an opportunity to develop a single, entrenched, written constitution; a comprehensive set of rights and responsibilities; an effective and simplified representation system; and clarity over the role of te Tiriti beyond 2020. The Institute’s Think Piece 14 suggests that the way forward should focus on two ideas: (i) moving...
Treaty website launch
The Institute of Policy Studies and Te Kawa a Māui are jointly launching an interactive website, which examines issues likely to arise in the Crown Māori relationship in the post-Treaty settlements era. The aim of the website is to assist the policy community and the wider public to gain a better understanding of emerging Crown-Māori...
Constitutional Review Announced
We are happy to hear the announcement today of a constitutional review. The review’s terms of reference are: The size of Parliament. The length of terms of Parliament and whether or not the term should be fixed. The size and number of electorates, including the method for calculating size. Electoral integrity legislation. Maori representation, including...
Diversity and Democracy
I attended the Futures Thinking Aotearoa lunch forum last week presented by David Bromell, author of Ethnicity, Identity and Public Policy: Critical Perspectives on Multiculturalism. His book is one we came across in research for our latest package of reports, and the talk was very useful. Below are a few notes I took from the presentation. –Steph. Diversity...
We the People(s)
Yesterday and today I have been attending a conference organised by the NZ Centre for Public Law: We the People(s): Engagement and Participation in Government. Pictured on the right is Sacha McMeeking, who I also saw present at the Hillary Symposium in Christchurch last year. I will try to get the paper from this discussion...
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