February 07, 2024
Seymour rave view 50 years stale
A Māori political scientist says the ACT Party’s use of race is politically banal.
Ahead of his appearance at Waitangi, ACT leader David Seymour penned an opinion piece for the New Zealand on his Treaty Principles Bill and his interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Dr Lara Greaves says race hasn’t been used in New Zealand law since Matiu Rata’s Maori Affairs Amendment Act in 1974 determined that Maori were descendents of Maori, regardless of percentage.
She says Mr Seymour’s populism is harming New Zealand’s international reputation.
“I think a lot of political scientists, and actually a lot of people internationally for New Zealand might be a kind of exception to populism, but instead we’ve kind of gone down this anti Māori populist, us versus them type rhetoric,” she says
Dr Greaves says the Māori population is overwhelmingly young and growing, so David Seymour’s efforts could be made redundant in the near future.