ACT Party leader David Seymour says the Waitangi Tribunal is increasingly being ignored by governments, suggesting its influence has diminished to the point where New Zealand may need to reconsider its future role. The comments come amid heightened political debate over the Tribunal’s role in scrutinising government policy, particularly in relation to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Treaty settlements and Māori rights. Established in 1975 to investigate alleged breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi by the Crown, the Waitangi Tribunal has become one of New Zealand’s most significant institutions for examining historical grievances and, since 1985, claims dating back to 1840. Seymour argued that reality raises questions about whether the Tribunal continues to serve the purpose for which it was created. For many Māori, the Waitangi Tribunal remains one of the few formal mechanisms through which Crown actions can be independently examined against the promises of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.