56709 (2025). Teanau Tuiono to the Minister of Justice

56709 (2025). Teanau Tuiono to the Minister of Justice: Does the Minister share the concerns of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) that 'Recent legislative developments risk significantly curtailing statutory protections of Māori land rights, particularly with regard to their right to self-determination over lands, territories, and resources they have historically owned and used. In this context, the Committee expresses concern about the amendments under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) (Customary Marine Title) Amendment Act (2025) and the Fast-Track Approvals Act (2024)' and if so why and if not why not?

Hon Paul Goldsmith: As the Minister of Justice, I led the New Zealand delegation to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) on 25 and 26 November 2025. The Member is quoting various statements from the “Concluding observations on the twenty-third and twenty-fourth periodic reports of New Zealand” which was issued by CERD on 5 December 2025. The Government is considering the concluding observations and will respond in due course.