Spearheaded by Act New Zealand leader David Seymour, the Bill seeks to define the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Act’s coalition partners, National and New Zealand First, agreed to only support the Bill to its first reading, which it passed in November.
Oral submissions began yesterday and, after the Bill received an unprecedented number of written submissions, the justice select committee was expected to hear up to 80 hours of submissions in total.
University of Otago politics professor Janine Hayward told the committee the Bill’s "unnecessary damage" would be the lasting legacy of the coalition government.
"It was a mistake for the Treaty to be traded off in order to form a governing coalition," she said.
She had been researching the Treaty and its principles for decades and said the Bill’s proposal was a poor solution to a non-existent problem.
"Parliament is not appropriately [equipped] — and too self-interested as a Treaty partner — to determine unilaterally what the principles ought to be," Prof Hayward said.
The principles were best determined by the Waitangi Tribunal and the courts.
"Treaty principles are a conservative reading of the Treaty text.
"Nevertheless, they have provided solutions to real challenges on a case-by-case basis for decades. They are not radical and they are certainly not a threat to democracy."
Former Act MP and Otago regional councillor Gerrard Eckhoff, of Alexandra, spoke in favour of the Bill and said it would bring clarity to the Treaty principles.
"It’s not about the colour of your skin or your ethnicity ... it’s about what you can contribute to our society," he said.
"I think it’s not unreasonable for the Act party, or anybody, to ask ... what does it actually mean?
"We need to determine these things, but how do we do that if we don’t debate these issues, fairly and openly and properly and without the acrimony that has so characterised this debate."
He was concerned future generations would be negatively affected by uncertainty about the principles.
Mr Eckhoff said the principles were most suitable for Parliament — not the judiciary — to decide and he encouraged the justice committee to seek independent advice from King Charles’ formal advisers, the Privy Council.
Mr Seymour was the first to make an oral submission yesterday and told the committee he believed using race as a qualifier in society was the definition of racism and should be expunged from New Zealand society.
Other submitters included legal experts, academics and organisations such as the National Urban Maori Authority, Hobson's Pledge and Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga.
Justice committee chairman James Meager said the committee had worked to ensure a broad range of views was heard in the first sessions.
The committee is due to make its recommendation on the Bill to Parliament in May.
— Additional reporting RNZ
