500 signatures reached
To: Tracey Martin, Minister of Internal Affairs
Honour Te Tiriti: #ChangeTheOath
We call on Hon Tracey Martin, Minister of Internal Affairs, to change the oath of citizenship to the following:
"I swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Tangata Whenua and the Crown, according to law, that I will honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and faithfully observe the laws of New Zealand and fulfil my duties as a New Zealand citizen."
Why is this important?
The oath of allegiance, taken by all new citizens, is an important statement on what it means to be a citizen of Aotearoa. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the nation's founding document, yet the current oath only acknowledges one Treaty partner, the Crown (for more information see http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1977/0061/latest/whole.html#DLM444038). There is a need for the oath to acknowledge both Māori and the Crown, and to reflect that honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the responsibility of all citizens of Aotearoa.
Changing the oath to include a statement on honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi would:
- Recognise Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document of the Nation
- Honour both Treaty partners in citizenship ceremonies
- Make it clear that honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the responsibility of all citizens of Aotearoa
- Encourage new citizens to learn about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and their relationships with tangata whenua
- Be one step towards achieving an approach to immigration that recognises Māori rights, responsibilities, and aspirations
'Change the Oath' is a group of Māori and migrants of colour standing in solidarity. The group includes (in alphabetical order) Faisal Al-Asaad, Tahu Kukutai, Ricardo Menéndez March, Pania Newton, Aaryn Marsh Niuapu, Arama Rata, and Julie Zhu.