Government to remove school board Treaty of Waitangi requirement

Tuesday 4 November 2025 · 7 outlets · 8 reports · updated Tue 4 Nov 2025, 4:50pm

In this story Labour Party, Chris Hipkins, Erica Stanford, Hobson's Pledge

The Government will remove the requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, stating the duty sits with the Crown. Education Minister Erica Stanford said the change aims to focus on Māori equity without the difficult-to-interpret clause. The decision has been met with shock from various education leaders and political figures.

How they headlined it

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1. NZ HeraldTue 4 Nov 2025, 5:00am

   Treaty and schools: Government to remove requirement for boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi (opens in new tab)

   • Labour’s Chris Hipkins says Government removing school board Treaty of Waitangi clause ‘victory for Hobson’s Pledge’ (opens in new tab) Tue 4 Nov 2025, 9:22am
   • Why the Government is removing Treaty of Waitangi requirements for school boards (opens in new tab) Tue 4 Nov 2025, 12:00pm
   • Education leaders vow to uphold Te Tiriti despite Government’s Treaty clause removal (opens in new tab) Tue 4 Nov 2025, 4:00pm
2. StuffTue 4 Nov 2025, 11:55am

   Treaty requirement that Education Minister said ‘didn’t make any difference’ being removed for schools (opens in new tab)

3. RNZTue 4 Nov 2025, 1:10pm

   Teachers shocked by government decision to remove Treaty of Waitangi requirement in schools (opens in new tab)

4. 1News via RNZTue 4 Nov 2025, 1:44pm

   Shock as Govt looks to remove schools' Treaty of Waitangi requirement (opens in new tab)

5. The PostTue 4 Nov 2025, 4:50pm

   Principals shocked as Government removes Te Tiriti o Waitangi requirement (opens in new tab)

   Also on The Press (opens in new tab), Waikato Times (opens in new tab)