Other accountabilities: mutual, individual and public accountability Te Tiriti implies mutual accountability – all parties to Te Tiriti have accountability to each other for the performance of Te Tiriti. This has yet to be achieved and is a topic that merits further understanding of expectations. The main two factors to address are how this would be recognised and what communication channel or relationship mechanism would best suit the parties. Would reports to Parliament be appropriate? Would an annual wānanga system be effective and a way to consolidate relationships? The MAIHI Whare Wānanga is an example of mutual accountability but established regarding MAIHI Ka Ora. This wānanga system has been helpful for housing and could be considered useful for wider application. This discussion assumes that the Kāwana would address accountability in terms of, for instance, constructive or public accountability, and Te Ao Māori cultural system would be applied for matters that Māori had under Māori authority. The Office of the AuditorGeneral has a role in the audit of the effectiveness and efficiency of policy implementation and has a particular interest in public accountability114. Its contribution in this area is anticipated. Individual accountability is not addressed in this discussion because the Kāwana role in Treaty matters is not as individual persons, and in Te Ao Māori, it is collective accountability rather than independent accountability that is addressed. However, we recognise that, especially within the Pākehā culture and Kāwana operations and management, independence is a norm and therefore independent decision making, action and accountability guided by ethics as well as laws will occur. Cultural competency From the time of the writing of Te Tiriti, the ability of the Kāwana to see themselves in the shoes of their Tiriti partner has been hampered by an understanding that culture was not an aspect that needed to be addressed as assimilation was instead intended. Those opinions are changing, but many government departments and their staff are not yet culturally competent. Further, our education systems have failed Aotearoa New 48 Zealand by omitting accurate information of our founding history so that many Tangata Tiriti have a very limited understanding of land confiscations and the basis of Te Tiriti. These inadequacies are a barrier to adequate recognition of the text of the Treaty and are shared by many, but hamper good faith communications, provision of appropriate services and accountability. Te Kāhui Tika Tangata New Zealand Human Rights Commission Housing Inquiry