Te Matahauariki researcher Robert Joseph underwent the final requirement for his Ph.D dissertation titled 'The Government of Themselves', dealing with issues of Maori governance, was conducted by a very distinguished panel consisting of Justice Eddie Durie, Professor John Borrows of Victoria University in British Columbia (Canada), and Professor Bedford of the University of Waikato on 31 May 2006. Following a wide-ranging discussion with Robert, the examiners declared themselves well-satisfied with the dissertation and its defence. They hoped that many of the themes explored and developed by the writer would be made available to a wider public in the form of published writing in the future. The conferral of the degree of Ph.D will make Robert Joseph the first Maori lawyer to receive that degree from the University of Waikato. Robert's colleagues at Te Matahauariki Institute offer their warmest congratulations on this success.