He says he wants a national conversation on the Treaty of Waitangi, but ACT leader David Seymour was nowhere to be seen at one of the most significant forums for public oratory in the national calendar.
If he had come to Ngaruawahia yesterday, he would have seen his coalition partners stand on Turangawaewae Marae and tell the throngs at the Koroheihana hui that his signature policy, the Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill, would be stillborn.
Tukoroirangi Morgan, the chair of Waikato Tainui’s Te Arataura executive, led off with a challenge that Mr Seymour could run and hide, but Māori would always be there.
He said the ACT Party wanted to assimilate Māori into a monocultural society and take away the Maori voice, their language, their identity and their tino rangatiratanga.
He reminded Prime Minister Christopher Luxon that his predecessor, Jim Bolger, came to Turangawaewae on a similarly wintry day 29 years ago and signed the Raupatu Settlement, pledging the National Party to a solemn commitment to honour that agreement.
Mr Morgan said he is now is watching the National-led Government take a wrecking ball to Māori policy and Māori achievement, rolling back 50 years of iwi relationships with the crown.
Prime Minister Luxon responded by reiterating that the National Party would not support them Treaty Principles Bill beyond its first reading.
New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones told the hui his party will not vote for ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill past its first reading.
The bill by will come to parliament next month and be sent to a select committee.
Mr Jones says that’s as much as New Zealand First committed to in its coalition agreement.
“In that coalition agreement there’s no ambiguity, no doubt, the bill that you refer to, the Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill, will not be voted for by New Zealand First beyond is introduction into parliament. If you have concerns the bill might prevail or enjoy some victory after that, you must be expressing your concern about the parties of the Opposition, not New Zealand First,” he said.
