One New Zealand Foundation Inc.

In the letter below, the Hon Pita Sharples agreed with the Attorney General, the Hon Christopher Finlayson, that the New Zealand Government did not have a definition of who were the indigenous people of New Zealand, but he told the United Nations, “Maori have a distinct and special status as the tangata whenua or the indigenous people of New Zealand”.

How can Maori have, “A distinct and special status as the tangata whenua or the indigenous people of New Zealand”, when the fact is, Government does not have a definition of who are, “The Indigenous People of New Zealand”? Was this statement made to mislead the United Nations?

The tangata Maori were not indigenous to New Zealand, they arrived in the 14^th century by canoe to find New Zealand already inhabited by the tangata whenua, just as the Europeans found in the 16^th century with New Zealand inhabited by the tangata Maori.

This was confirmed by the late Dr Ranginui Walker, when Head of Maori Studies at the Auckland University in the 1986 New Zealand Yearbook, page 18, when he stated, “The traditions are quite clear on one point, whenever crews disembarked there were already tangata whenua (prior inhabitants) living in New Zealand”.

Not only did New Zealand not have a definition of the indigenous people, but the Crown Law Office had advised Prime Minister, Hon Helen Clark not to sign the Declaration as it contradicted our constitution and laws of New Zealand of one flag and one law, irrespective of race colour or creed.

Prime Minister, Hon John Key sent Hon Pita Sharples to New York on the 19 April 2010 to sign the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous People without a mandate from Government or advice from the Crown Law Office. He did it solely to get the Maori vote without worrying of the problems it would cause in the future! 

The UN Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous People of New Zealand is a “simple nullity” for the following reasons,

1. New Zealand did not have a definition of the indigenous people of New Zealand.
2. The Crown Law Office had advised Hon Helen Clark not to sign it in 2007
3. Hon John Key did not ask the Crown Law Office for advice before signing it.
4. Hon John Key did not have a mandate from Government before signing it.
5. Hon Pita Sharples misled the United Nations by stating, “Maori were the tangata whenua or Indigenous people of New Zealand”.
6. Maori must prove, with forensic evidence, they are the tangata whenua or, the indigenous people of New Zealand for UNDRIP to include them. 

Both Hon John Key and Hon Pita Sharples knew of the above but went ahead and signed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People under false pretences!

He Puapua is based on Maori being the tangata whenua or, the indigenous people of New Zealand, but there is absolutely no forensic evidence to prove that they were the first inhabitants to live in New Zealand. All the evidence shows there were other people living in New Zealand when the tangata Maori arrived in the 14^th century. 

Until Maori can prove their ancestors were tangata whenua or, the Indigenous people of New Zealand with forensic evidence, they cannot use the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous People to claim rights the Declaration gives to indigenous people, including Puapua.

Over 500 tangata Maori chiefs on behalf of their people, agreed to become British Subjects with the same rights as the people of England under one flag and one law in 1840 and nothing has changed since then, absolutely nothing. 

Maori ancestry is still, “tangata Maori”, not “tangata whenua”!

Below is the Hon Pita Sharples statement to the UN made under “False Pretences”.