109 Central and local government reform Institutional racism against Māori is present in central and local government legislation, systems, and policies. These should be comprehensively reviewed and reformed to give full effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti) and eliminate racism. The government provides more support for whānau to navigate and engage with central and local government and its systems (including education, health, employment, and justice) to achieve desired outcomes for Māori. Strengthening human and Indigenous rights The government strengthens the Human Rights Act 1993 to be fully Tiriti-based, including co-governance, reflecting Te Tiriti within the commissioners’ roles, and new institutional arrangements. Decolonisation and anti-racism strategies should be comprehensive and implemented across central and local government and key sectors including housing, employment, work and income, health, education, and criminal justice, thus improving Māori outcomes and reducing inequalities and inequities. International Indigenous rights and reporting Tangata whenua share the experience of colonisation and racism with other Indigenous peoples around the world. There has been a lack of acknowledgement and action taken by successive governments on this issue. Settlers have comfortably forgotten or dismissed Aotearoa’s racist history, and racism today, which prevents progress from being made to address this profound issue. As a step toward fully upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Aotearoa the government could take bold steps to implement its Action Plan (currently in development) for the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People’s. The NAPAR includes actions to support tangata whenua to increase their international understanding of racism and oppression for Indigenous peoples and progress those rights. Tangata whenua see the need for reciprocal sharing of their knowledge, experiences, and solutions to improve Indigenous rights through indigenous, United Nations, and International and Human Rights Commission Transnational Civil Society forums. As a baseline, the government provides adequate resources and support for tangata whenua to enable their valuable contribution toward monitoring, reporting and appearing at United Nations forums on human and Indigenous rights. Māori education, decolonisation and racism The colonial education system has been fundamental in undermining Māori self-determination, dismantling Māori culture and te reo, and Māori society, and marginalising the mental health and wellbeing of Māori. Education, decolonisation and re-indigenisation be activated to move Aotearoa towards becoming racism-free and changing racist thoughts and beliefs. There is a lack of awareness around decolonisation and racism across society, government institutions and systems, and formal education settings. Racism is a learned behaviour, and all New Zealanders need to be educated on the topic. This suggestion builds on the recent changes to the education system where, for the first time, the authentic colonial history of Aotearoa will be taught in the core curriculum of our schools. The NAPAR to include a Tiriti-based review of education to identify the changes needed to strengthen tino rangatiratanga, enable decolonisation, and for tangata whenua to regain mana motuhake over the education of its tamariki and kaupapa Māori education systems. A Māori Education Authority is created to address educational inequities for Māori. It should strengthen education and systems for Māori under tino rangatiratanga authority. With the Ministry of Education, the Authority develops a curriculum to educate New Zealanders about racism, colonisation, and decolonisation, including tino rangatiratanga and kāwanatanga trained educators. Racism and Māori health There is clear evidence of the repugnant effects of colonisation, racism, and white supremacy upon Māori within the health system. Following the Waitangi Tribunal, Hauora Report (2019 Wai 2575), in 2021, the government appointed a national Māori Health Authority | Te Mana Hauora