The terms of reference for the constitutional review were announced in December 2010 by Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and Minster of Māori Affairs Pita Sharples. Click here for more information.
Electoral matters including:
- The size of Parliament.
- The length of terms of Parliament and whether or not the term should be fixed.
- The size and number of electorates, including the method for calculating size.
- Electoral integrity legislation.
Crown–Māori relationship matters including:
- Māori representation including the Māori Electoral Option, Māori electoral participation and Māori seats in Parliament and local government.
- The role of the Treaty of Waitangi within New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements.
Other constitutional matters:
- Whether New Zealand should have a written constitution.
- Bill of Rights issues.
The review will also be open to considering other issues and perspectives that are raised during public engagement. For example, this could include public interest in whether New Zealand should move to a republic, or the relationship between central and local government.