• The Government appointed former Act Party leader Richard Prebble to the Tribunal in October 2024 
• Labour MP Willie Jackson objected to Prebble’s appointment due to his alignment with Act’s policies, including the controversial Treaty Principles Bill 
• Today, he announced his resignation from the tribunal 

Richard Prebble is resigning from the Waitangi Tribunal, following his controversial appointment last year. 

The former Act leader and Labour minister announced his resignation in his weekly column published today by the Herald. 

In his column, he outlines his understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi compared to the tribunal’s. 

“The Tribunal has turned the Treaty upside down,” he writes, saying the tribunal believes that sovereignty was not ceded and Māori were promised economic equality. 

“As we will never have economic equality, the tribunal has created an endless grievance that can never be met. 

“I will not participate in turning the Treaty into a socialist manifesto.” 

His resignation so soon after being appointed raises questions about his suitability in the first place, given the seemingly incompatible differences between his views and the tribunal’s findings, which are publicly available. 

Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said he was “moving swiftly” to appoint a new member to minimise any disruption to the tribunal. 

“The Waitangi Tribunal achieves its mahi thanks to the commitment of a diverse range of members providing extensive experience and knowledge. Mr Prebble has made the decision to resign of his own accord - I respect his choice and wish him well.” 

Potaka announced Prebble’s appointment to the tribunal in October last year, alongside new member Ken Williamson, an insurance specialist and philanthropist who has been a lifelong supporter of St John. 

Prebble’s appointment caused a stir due to Act’s plan to rewrite the Treaty principles into law, the refusal of an Act minister to be summonsed to give evidence to the tribunal, and a raft of other Māori-related policies. 

For many, Prebble’s appointment represented a challenge to the tribunal from within. 

Richard Prebble has announced his resignation from the Waitangi Tribunal. Photo / Tessa Chrisp Photography 

Kevin Prime was reappointed for a second time, though three other members up for reappointment were not. Two of them, Dr Hana O’Regan and former broadcaster Derek Fox, were reappointed in an announcement from Potaka in January, more than six months after their three-year terms had ended. 

The announcement also included the appointment of Philip Crump, lawyer and founding editor of the now defunct Newstalk ZB Plus, and Manawatu councillor Grant Hadfield, who has previously opposed the introduction of a Māori ward. Iwi wrote an open letter to MPs criticising Hadfield’s appointment. 

In January, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said of the appointments: “It’s a whitewash. Tama Potaka has removed some of Te Ao Māori’s greatest thinkers from the Waitangi Tribunal and replaced them with pale, stale males.” 

Potaka has defended the appointments, saying they provide “the right balance of skills” for the tribunal to continue its work. 

The appointments are made by the Governor-General following recommendations from the minister, who by law “must have regard to the relationship between the two parties to the Treaty of Waitangi, and to a candidate’s personal attributes and relevant knowledge and experience in matters likely to come before the Tribunal”. 

Derek Cheng is a senior journalist who started at the Herald in 2004. He has worked several stints in the press gallery team and is a former deputy political editor.