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A far north iwi chair has slammed Opposition leader Chris Luxon’s statement the treaty is an experiment.
During his welcome on to the Treaty Grounds on Sunday, the National Party leader said New Zealand started on February 6, 1840 as a little experiment, and it’s now 21st-century success story.
He said treaty settlements should be full, final and last forever, and he wants to see them finalised by 2030.
Te Runanga o Ngāti Kahu chair Makere Mutu, a Professor of Māori Studies at Auckland University, says tūpuna Māori knew what they were doing when they signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
“Aah no, Chris Luxon. It wasn’t an experiemnt. It was a very wisely and carefully thought out decision by our tupuna. they knew it could work. They just underestimated the greed of pakehas,” she says.
Mr Luxon has also dismissed the idea of co-governmance.
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