Treaty bill: ACT leader Seymour on coalition partners' disagreement

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November 24, 2024

ACT leader David Seymour says the Government remains "very robust" amid coalition disagreement over the Treaty Principles Bill.

The future deputy PM said his legislation to redefine the Treaty of Waitangi principles was "foundational to solving our other problems", including the economy, appearing to make a veiled reference to comments by National leader and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

Seymour spoke to Q+A after tens of thousands marched through Wellington on Tuesday as Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, in opposition to the Treaty bill, arrived at Parliament's grounds.

He said: "I think one of the most interesting questions about this whole debate is, why are people so het up about a bill that they will say won't go anywhere?

1News’ Te Aniwa Hurihanganui reports from the capital as Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived.  (Source: 1News)

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"The reason for that is that it has gone somewhere already - just by introducing those two simple ideas, equal rights and an equal right to have a say."

Luxon has ruled out National supporting the bill to a second reading.

That would mean the legislation wouldn't go any further, and a proposed referendum on Treaty principles would not go ahead.

The ACT leader, who opposes the legislation being called divisive, said there was "much resistance" to his bill because it gives people "a right to say" what the principles meant.

Te Pāti Māori's co-leader leader spoke to Q+A's Jack Tame, after tens of thousands took part in a hīkoi to Parliament. (Source: 1News)

Asked if he believed his coalition partners have acted in good faith, Seymour said: "I think they find it exceedingly difficult, but hey, look, you know, our coalition is very robust.

"We work together on a whole lot of issues. This is one where there's some disagreement, and I think it shows why you need an ACT Party.

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"This is a difficult conversation. A lot of people say, 'Oh, well, why even have it? Work on the economy or something'. I say this is foundational to solving our other problems."

1News’ Te Aniwa Hurihanganui reports from the capital as Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived.  (Source: 1News)

Last week, Luxon gave his most strident comments to date criticising Seymour's Treaty principles focus, calling the bill "divisive".

"This is a Government that's focused and was elected to get the country back on track - that means the economy, it means law and order. It means better public services.

"This doesn't help us do that," the PM said.

Luxon went on to say that his coalition partner's bill was "simplistic" and "negates" more than 184 years of debate and discussion over the Treaty of Waitangi.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. (Source: 1News)

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Treaty principles change inevitable, Seymour suggests

Speaking to Q+A, Seymour said it was "clear" that "the New Zealand we like to think of is no more", necessitating an "honest conversation" about the role of Te Tiriti.

He cited an August 1News Verian poll to argue his case, which found 46% of voters saying racial tensions have worsened due to the coalition government's policies.

"It's also becoming clear - when TVNZ's polling says 46% of people say they feel that the country is divided by ethnicity or ancestry - that the New Zealand we like to think of is no more, and we need to have an honest conversation about how that's happened in the last 50 years."

David Seymour spoke to media ahead of the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti's arrival at Parliament tomorrow. (Source: 1News)

Asked what his long-term plan was if the Treaty Principles Bill didn't pass a second reading, Seymour compared his legislation to the march for homosexual law reform in the 1970s and 1980s - suggesting re-defining the Treaty principles was inevitable.

He said: "Look at something like, say homosexual law reform. You know, first bill in the early-70s by Venn Young. It became legalised in 1986.

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"At the time, I'm sure people said, 'why are you even bothering us? It's a waste of time'. Today, we don't even question that part of our legal arrangement."

Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of New Zealand On Air

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