1 November 1999

MORE MULTICULTURAL NEW ZEALAND RAISES FUTURE OF TREATY

The future of the Treaty of Waitangi will come under increasing scrutiny, as New Zealand society becomes more multicultural, says United New Zealand leader, Hon Peter Dunne.

Mr Dunne, whose own Party list includes representatives of 10 different nationalities, says New Zealand’s growing cultural and ethnic diversity is inevitably leading many to question the ongoing relevance of a Treaty signed nearly 150 years ago between Maori and the British Crown.

“When you couple the mounting cultural and ethnic variety of New Zealand with the emphasis on resolving historical grievances that has become the modern focus of the Treaty, it is understandable that its long term future relevance to modern, multicultural New Zealand is being queried.”

“It is inevitable that people are properly asking what relevance such a Treaty has to the Asian, Indian and Pacific communities now becoming more prominent in our country.”

“A society confident about its future should welcome that debate,” Mr Dunne says.

Mr Dunne says that as a Liberal Party, United asserts strongly and without favour the equality of all people, regardless of origin.

“We celebrate our country’s increasing ethnic and cultural diversity, and believe passionately in New Zealand’s future as a modern, multicultural society.”

“If that means we have to be bold enough to revisit or modify the Treaty to achieve that goal, then so be it.”

“Certainly, United is not afraid of promoting a widespread public debate on the issue to ensure that the Treaty is viewed once more as a symbol of our national unity, rather than disunity, that promotes New Zealand as a modern multicultural society,” Mr Dunne says.

ENDS

New Zealand’s Liberal Party

MEDIA STATEMENT
HON PETER DUNNE, MP
LEADER UNITED NEW ZEALAND
Parliament Buildings, Wellington 1.
Ph: (04) 471 9410 or (025) 469 808. Fax (04) 499 7266.
e-mail: peter.dunne@parliament.govt.nz. Internet Address: http://www.united.org.nz

New Zealand’s Liberal Party

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