Climate change? Recession? Pollution? There's a Treaty solution for that
Dr Carwyn Jones (Ngati Kahungunu) is the lead academic in Maori laws and philosophy at Te Wananga o Raukawa and an honorary adjunct professor in Maori studies at Victoria University of Wellington. OPINION: The extreme weather events that we have witnessed around the country with increasing frequency, including the recent catastrophic flooding in our biggest city, should be a clear message that we need to take radical action to do everything we can to minimise global warming. We also need to ensure that our communities, infrastructure, and systems of government are prepared for the impacts of climate change that we are already seeing, and that we are equipped to respond effectively and efficiently. The good news is we are not powerless here. We do have choices we can make that will contribute to leaving a liveable planet for our children and grandchildren. We can do things differently. READ MORE: * Co-governance not enough to satisfy indigenous rights declaration, Government told * Exercising tino rangatiratanga in a pandemic * I want Maori to enjoy what I have, life in a society that makes sense to them And, if we are prepared to do things differently, we can build better relationships within and between our communities, as well as developing more balanced relationships with our environment. We need to act urgently, to be clear-eyed and realistic about the impacts of climate change. We will also need to be determined, courageous and imaginative in our responses. But this is not beyond us. I know that this is not beyond us because I see the courage and imagination that was demonstrated by our ancestors who entered into Te Tiriti o Waitangi. In Te Tiriti, our ancestors imagined a nation where Maori authority (expressed as tino rangatiratanga) would continue, but where space would also be created for the British Crown to exercise its authority over its own people (which is reflected in Te Tiriti as the grant of kawanatanga). It took courage and imagination in 1840 to create a relationship of mutual respect and mutual benefit, grounded in the recognition of each others authority. But it was, and remains today, a relationship of incredible potential. In the 183 years since, we have seen the determination of Maori to realise the potential of that relationship, despite successive governments reluctance to share decision-making authority. Te Tiriti has enormous potential to help us achieve a fair society in which the health and wellbeing of our people is strengthened by our care and respect for each other and for the natural environment. Importantly, in an age when it has become clear that doing things in the same way we have always done them is not a viable option, Te Tiriti provides a blueprint for how we can do things differently. The shared power inherent in the relationship between tino rangatiratanga and kawanatanga provides opportunities for ideas, solutions, and ways of doing things to be drawn from outside of the Crowns authority and processes. We learn from each other when were open to different perspectives. When confronting the existential challenge of climate change, we need to make sure were using all the tools we have in our collective toolbox to respond. It is important that we dont rely on the same policy machinery and governance settings that have created our current circumstances. In fact, where current systems are causing ongoing climate damage, it will be essential that they are replaced by new models and ways of working. Giving effect to Te Tiriti moves us away from systems that have proven harmful or simply ineffective to date. So, sharing authority or taking a Tiriti-led approach isnt just beneficial in terms of limited agreements to the management of specific natural resources . Shared decision-making and genuine recognition of the authority of tino rangatiratanga would promote different ways of understanding and approaching all aspects of our climate change response urban planning and transport, economic resilience, and equity-informed policies for a just society that supports the health and wellbeing of all people and communities in Aotearoa. We can already see the effectiveness of Tiriti-led approaches in a range of policy areas. One recent example was in the response to Covid-19 . We saw that when the government shared information and resources with Maori community-based organisations , Maori vaccination rates increased. And when Maori communities exercised their own authority in establishing checkpoints , they were effective in containing the spread of the virus. In this way, Maori leadership, shared authority, and the exercise of tino rangatiratanga helped to keep us all safer during the first years of the pandemic. There are benefits that constructive partnerships and collaboration bring to any challenge. We can always achieve more when we work together and respect and value diverse experiences, knowledge and ways of doing things. Te Tiriti provides a framework for doing just that. In 1840, our ancestors showed courage and determination in a rapidly changing world. They imagined new relationships that would enable them to respond in new ways to the challenges they encountered. We have an opportunity to do the same today. And we have the advantage of already having te Tiriti as a guide.