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August 30, 2023
David Seymour knows what’s best for Māori
Claudette Hauiti
Posted On August 30, 2023
Download AudioACT Party leader David Seymour says he knows what’s best for Māori when it comes to democracy.
He says ACT will restore one person, one vote in local government by scrapping Maori wards, which are voted for by people on the Maori electoral roll.
He calls it race-based representation, and says many Maori don’t like it too.
“If you talk to a lot of people who are Maori, they will say ‘I don’t like someone from another hapū ending up representing me – I resent that.’ If you look at what is best for people right across the ethnic spectrum, it is actually to live in a democracy where you have one person, one vote. I know what’s best for people based on what’s worked throughout history, that is liberal democracy with one person one vote, universal human rights and if it’s best for all people then I guess it’s be best for Māori too,” Mr Seymour says.
National Party leader Chris Luxon told Radio Waatea his party will remove the 2021 amendment which removed the ability to force a referendum which could overturn a council’s decision to create Maori wards.
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