A United Nations committee warned that Maori rights were under serious threat and systemic disparities for the Indigenous population may worsen, in its most scathing review of New Zealand’s record on racial equality.
The report by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s (CERD) raised alarm over a range of government policies affecting the Maori population, including the disestablishment of the Maori Health Authority, budget cuts to Maori services, and moves to minimise the role of the Treaty of Waitangi in education and governance.
The committee noted that some policies “may seriously risk weakening the legal, institutional and policy framework for the implementation” of the racial discrimination convention.
The 14-page report released on 5 December came after an eight-year review of the country’s implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination – the principal international human rights instrument defining and prohibiting racial discrimination in all sectors of private and public life.
The Treaty of Waitangi was the country’s founding document first signed between the British Crown and Maori chiefs in 1840. New Zealand last year announced the shutting down of the Maori Health Authority, as the centre-right government winds back Indigenous policies of previous governments. The Maori Health Authority, or Te Aka Whai Ora, was established in 2022 to improve health outcomes of Maori, which lag the broader population. Maori make up 17 per cent of the country’s population.
Prominent Maori leader Lady Tureiti Moxon, who presented a complaint to CERD in Geneva, described the review as “unprecedented in both its length and its language”.
She stressed that “CERD is clear: New Zealand is moving backwards on racial equality, and Maori rights are under serious threat. This is the strongest critique of New Zealand CERD has ever issued. Unlike the 2017 review, which acknowledged progress, this report finds virtually no positive steps on Maori rights or racial equity”.
The report noted persistent disparities for Maori across education, housing, health, and political representation. The committee expressed concern about the misrepresentation of affirmative action as “racial privilege” and “at odds with universal human rights” by certain public figures, and noted that Maori political expression in Parliament is “disproportionately scrutinised and sanctioned”.
Law changes were cited as potentially curtailing statutory protections of Maori land rights, while treaty clauses being removed from legislation could “risk entrenching historical, structural, and systemic discrimination against Maori”.
The committee also drew attention to environmental and land issues. It stated that only a small portion of Maori land, resources, and territories have been returned, with remedies often limited to symbolic gestures. It urged the government to improve settlement processes, ensure meaningful engagement, and respect Maori rights to self-determination and control over traditional lands.
Environmental degradation and climate change were identified as additional threats to Maori health, livelihoods, and cultural identity, with recommendations to strengthen protections for land, waterways, coastal areas, and native plants and animals.
CERD also expressed concern about proposals under the Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill, particularly military-style “boot camps”, noting the risks of harm to young people. The committee urged holistic, human-rights-based approaches that prioritise rehabilitation and community-led support, while stressing the importance of restoring Section 7AA to ensure Maori children remain connected to their cultural identity and community.
The review criticised the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora and cuts to several ministries, warning that these weaken institutional capacity and risk systemic discrimination. CERD recommended revitalising the Maori Health Authority or establishing similar bodies to address health disparities.
Other concerns included threats to the independence of the Human Rights Commission and proposed removal of Maori wards, both of which could undermine protections for human rights and Maori political participation.
The report also highlighted ongoing hate speech and far-right extremism, noting that most racially motivated crimes fail to reflect hate motivation in sentencing, and called for stronger legislation, better data collection, and enhanced public awareness.
Lady Tureiti Moxon summarised the report as a stark warning: the government must act immediately to protect Maori whanau, tamariki, and the nation’s collective future.
“Upholding Te Tiriti, reversing harmful youth justice proposals, protecting our institutional frameworks, and condemning hate speech are not optional – they are urgent obligations under international law,” she said.
CERD urged New Zealand to implement its recommendations fully, including through adherence to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the revitalisation of the Treaty of Waitangi framework, and strengthened measures to counter racism and discrimination.
