Outstanding Māori Legal Scholars Awarded Prestigious 2025 Borrin Foundation Justice Fellowships

The Borrin Foundation Justice Fellowship supports senior legal professionals to pursue ambitious, self-directed projects that contribute to an Aotearoa New Zealand that is just, inclusive, tolerant and free – where everyone knows and understands the role and value of the law, and everyone enjoys the protection and opportunity that it provides.

“We believe that supporting outstanding people can have a significant long-term impact on the ways in which the law meets the needs and aspirations of New Zealanders,” said Hon David Goddard KC, Chair of the Borrin Foundation’s Grants and Scholarships Committee. “The scholars to whom we have awarded these fellowships are examining the implications of tikanga Māori in critically important fields, and of tino rangatiratanga in the context of social services. The work of these leading scholars will contribute to our understanding of these important issues, and inform practice within Te Ao Māori and the legal system more generally. We are delighted to be able to support the work of Ms Coates and Dr Erueti.”

Natalie Coates: Te Hua o Te Wānanga

Natalie Coates has been selected to receive a $120,000 Justice Fellowship to lead a series of wānanga with esteemed tikanga experts, exploring tikanga’s role in contemporary areas of law such as contract, torts, and legal ethics.

Her project responds to a growing demand in the legal profession for guidance on how to authentically and competently engage with tikanga Māori. Since the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Ellis v R (2022), tikanga has been increasingly referenced in courtrooms and legal reasoning. However, some practitioners lack the tools to do so in a principled way, leading to risks of tokenism or misapplication.

Natalie’s project will result in two key resources:

• A filmed educational resource capturing the experience of tikanga reasoning in action
• A published article distilling key insights from the wānanga

These resources aim to strengthen tikanga competency among legal professionals and law schools and support the development of a legal system that truly reflects Aotearoa’s bicultural foundations.

Natalie is a barrister at Thorndon Chambers and a Pouako at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. She is a specialist in public and administrative law with a strong focus on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the intersection between tikanga and the common law. She is also a respected leader in the Māori legal community, currently serving as Co-President of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa.

Dr Andrew Erueti: Realising Tino Rangatiratanga in Post-Treaty Settlement Aotearoa

Dr Andrew Erueti has been awarded a $60,000 Borrin Foundation Justice Fellowship to undertake a scoping study titled Tino Rangatiratanga in Post-Treaty Settlement Aotearoa. This is the first phase of a multi-year kaupapa examining how Māori collectives—both tribal and non-tribal—can exercise meaningful authority in the delivery of health and child welfare services.

Building on the Matike Mai model of constitutional transformation, the project asks:

• Who now occupies the Rangatiratanga Sphere?
• How can iwi and Māori organisations exert real influence in service delivery in a post-settlement era?
• How to address claims that Māori specific measures discriminate against non-Māori, and internal minorities
• How can Māori collectives engage more effectively with the Crown—and with one another?

The study draws on tikanga Māori values such as whakapapa, mana, manaakitanga, and utu to explore questions of identity, authority, and human rights.

Andrew is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, where he serves as Tumuaki Māori (Associate Dean Māori) and co-directs the New Zealand Centre for Indigenous Rights. He has worked internationally with the United Nations and Amnesty International as an expert on Indigenous rights, and recently served as a Commissioner on the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, helping shape its recommendations for redress and transformation of the care system.

His scholarship and advocacy are driven by a commitment to Indigenous self-determination, constitutional renewal, and the development of Māori-led legal and policy solutions that realise tino rangatiratanga across Aotearoa.

Applications for the Borrin Foundation Justice Fellowship open annually in March.

Information on eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found here: https://www.borrinfoundation.nz/fellowshipsawards/

ENDS

MORE INFORMATION

The Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation was established in 2018 through a $38 million bequest by the late Judge Ian Borrin. It is a philanthropic organisation which supports legal research, education, and scholarship. The Foundation’s current strategic areas of focus are the criminal justice system, family law and access to civil justice.

Media Contact

Oli Malthus

T: 02108044110

E: oli@borrinfoundation.nz