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Human Rights Commission
vi. Working with tino rangatiratanga partners,
conduct an annual survey on racism, and
monitor and report on racism and the
status of Te Tiriti and the UNDRIP to the
Commission, government and the United
Nations. Government to provide resources to
enable tangata whenua to participate.
vii. Provide resources and pathways to support
tangata whenua to work together with other
Indigenous peoples around the world to
progress Indigenous and human rights.
viii.Ensure institutional arrangements for the
independent body, or bodies, are Tiritibased with power and decision making. This
could take the form of co-leadership and
co-governance arrangements.
Appoint an Indigenous Rights
Commissioner under urgency within
the Te Kāhui Tika Tangata | Human
Rights Commission and explore
establishing an independent Indigenous
Rights Commission (for government,
Human Rights Commission with tino
rangatiratanga partners)
4. The government, in consultation with tino
rangatiratanga partners, urgently appoints a fulltime, permanent, Indigenous Rights Commissioner
within the Human Rights Commission to
strengthen its capacity. Noting the Commission
is to become Tiriti-based, the government also
explores the establishment of an independent
Indigenous Rights Commission.
The government to consider that the Indigenous
Rights Commissioner has the following functions:
i. Work with the Human Rights Commission, to
promote and protect human and Indigenous
rights as outlined in Te Tiriti and the UNDRIP.
ii. Contribute toward, and support, the
establishment of the Truth, Reconciliation
and Justice Commission.
iii. Support the implementation of the NAPAR
and a decolonisation and anti-racism
strategy to assist the further elimination of
racism in central and local government and
civil society.
iv. Contribute to a Tiriti-centred review of
current New Zealand legislation and
make Te Tiriti and UNDRIP recommendations
on proposed legislation.
v. Report to the United Nations on New
Zealand’s progress on Te Tiriti, UNDRIP,
and decolonisation and racism affecting
tangata whenua.
vi. Government adequately resources
the Indigenous Rights Commissioner
and explores the establishment of an
independent Indigenous Human Rights
Commission with similar functions.
Secondary recommendations have also been
made at the end of the relevant chapters and
are tabled in Appendix One for the consideration
by the government for further development and
action. These include strengthening the Human
Rights Act (1993) to promote and protect Māori
human and Indigenous rights; reducing inequities
and inequalities and improving outcomes
for Māori in education, health and criminal
justice; and the reform of Māori land and rates
for the benefit of Māori whenua owners.