Let's talk about Te Tiriti. Why do we refer to Te Tiriti and not the Treaty? Because Te Tiriti, the Māori version, was debated and signed by the chiefs and the Crown in 1840. Article 1 talks about the recognition of pre-existing rights and authority. It doesn't create any new authority for Māori, as it already existed. What was agreed to was kāwanatanga, the right of governance, and we have honoured this since 1853 on the provision that the Crown recognised the pre-existing rights of Māori. 