Roimata Smail
Human rights barrister and bestselling Te Tiriti educator
Overview
Roimata Smail (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui) is a human rights barrister, Te Tiriti specialist and bestselling author of Understanding Te Tiriti: A Handbook of Basic Facts. With more than 20 years acting on cases relating to Te Tiriti o Waitangi — including the Waitangi Tribunal's Health Services and Outcomes Inquiry that led to the establishment of the Māori Health Authority — she brings rare clarity to one of Aotearoa's most important conversations.
Who is Roimata Smail? Napier-based and from Ngāti Maniapoto and Tainui, Roimata has spent two decades specialising in Te Tiriti o Waitangi cases as a human rights barrister. She acted for lead claimants in the Hauora Inquiry that led to Te Aka Whai Ora (the Māori Health Authority), in litigation against Oranga Tamariki, the Department of Corrections and ACC, and represented the first iwi to receive an offer of Customary Marine Title from the Crown. From a family of teachers, she also created Wai Ako, an online education platform on Te Tiriti, NZ history, te reo Māori and financial literacy.
Career Highlights • Human rights and public law barrister of 20+ years • Bestselling author of Understanding Te Tiriti: A Handbook of Basic Facts (NZ #1 bestseller) • Acted for lead claimants in the Hauora Inquiry that led to the Māori Health Authority • Founder of treatytraining.com workshops and Wai Ako online learning platform • Represented the first iwi to receive an offer of Customary Marine Title from the Crown • Author and commentator for Newsroom
Key Speaking Themes • Te Tiriti o Waitangi — facts, history and principles • Equity, discrimination and Māori rights • Aotearoa's history and what it means today • How organisations can engage meaningfully with Te Tiriti • Civic participation and how to make your voice count
What Your Audience Will Gain Roimata is calm, expert and beautifully clear. Audiences leave with a deeper, more accurate understanding of Te Tiriti — and a practical sense of what their organisation or community can do to honour it.
Ideal For • Board and executive leadership development • Government, public sector and iwi engagement events • Education conferences and principals' associations • Diversity, equity and inclusion programmes • Community and civic events
Frequently Asked Questions...
What does Roimata Smail speak about? Te Tiriti o Waitangi, equity, Māori rights, NZ history and the legal and practical implications of Te Tiriti for organisations and communities.
What is Understanding Te Tiriti? Roimata's NZ #1 bestselling handbook distilling 20 years of legal expertise into a short, accessible guide to the Treaty.
What major cases has Roimata Smail worked on? The Waitangi Tribunal's Health Services and Outcomes Inquiry (Hauora Inquiry), litigation against Oranga Tamariki, Department of Corrections and ACC, and Customary Marine Title negotiations.
What is Wai Ako? Roimata's online education resource on Te Tiriti, NZ history, te reo Māori and financial literacy for primary schools and the public.
What iwi affiliations does Roimata Smail have? Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui, England, Scotland and Ireland.
Is Roimata Smail available for workshops and keynotes? Yes. Roimata delivers Te Tiriti workshops, keynotes, board sessions and community talks across Aotearoa.