Recently, several high-profile court decisions have reaffirmed the place of tikanga Māori as the first law of Aotearoa. The NZ Council of Legal Education has made learning about tikanga Māori a part of legal education in Aotearoa. Mr Judd KC made a complaint to the Regulations Review Committee about these regulations. The Asian Legal Network sent a written submission to the Regulations Review Committee, opposing Mr Gary Judd KC’s complaint, and in support of the Professional Examinations in Law (Tikanga Māori Requirements) Amendment Regulations 2022.

Earlier this month the ALN submitted against the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. We believe the Bill fails to uphold the Crown’s responsibilities under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Bill also undermines democracy, transparency and public participation, and is harmful to the interests of Asian communities in Aotearoa.

The ALN supports the overall direction taken by the Draft Code, and its proposed measures to safeguard the privacy rights of individuals and vulnerable demographics. However, the Draft Code could do more to address privacy risks that disproportionately affect vulnerable minority communities.

Te Tiriti guarantees Māori spaces for tangata whenua. Safe spaces are necessary, equitable and beneficial. These spaces are a source of inspiration and take nothing away from us. There is no place for racism which gives licence to attack other groups.

The Asian Legal Network is disappointed with Minister Paul Goldsmith instructing Te Aka Matua o Te Ture | The Law Commission to stop all work on hate speech in the Commission’s “Legal Responses to Hate” project. This makes Asian communities more unsafe and we strongly encourage the minister to reverse course.

The Asian Legal Network is disappointed by the government defunding section 27 “cultural reports” under urgency through the Legal Services Amendment Act 2024. This repeal will likely make Asian communities more unsafe, and Asian communities should have been consulted.

“As an organisation that is committed to furthering justice, especially against settler-colonialism, we stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine. We call for an immediate, sustained ceasefire.”