The government has tabled a bill designating English as an official language, drawing mockery from the opposition and staunch support from Winston Peters.
The bill, proposed by Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith, would recognise English as an official language alongside Te Reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, without altering the existing status or use of the latter two.
The legislation notes that English has long functioned as a de facto official language, though it has never been enshrined in law.
“It’s something that was in the coalition [agreement]. It wouldn’t be the top priority for us, absolutely not. But it’s something in the coalition, and it’s getting done.”
Goldsmith skipped speaking at the first reading, with Winston Peters instead leading the debate on Thursday.
Peters pointed to English-language laws in places like Canada, Ireland, and Wales, underscoring the “importance” of codifying it in legislation.
“This bill won’t solve the push of this virtue signalling narrative completely. But it is the first step towards ensuring logic and common sense prevail when the vast majority of New Zealanders communicate in English and understand English in a country that should use English as its primary and official language,” he said.
Peters argued that the growing use of te reo Māori in health and transport was causing public confusion. In some instances, he claimed, this was endangering lives—with first responders unsure of locations and boaters unable to read charts.
“With the increase in recent years of te reo to be used in place of English, even when less than 5% of the New Zealand population can read, write, or speak it, it has created situations that encourage misunderstanding and confusion for all. And all for the purpose to push a narrative.”
Peters veered into a lengthy historical tale, citing “out-of-touch Soviet bureaucrats” who installed chandeliers by weight for production bonuses—ignoring shape and design, which ripped ceilings apart.
“And the then-President Khrushchev, upon finding this out, asked this question: ‘For whom is this illuminating? As for whom are the circumstances we now finding ourselves in with the use of te reo as a means of important communication now illuminating what?'”
Meanwhile, Opposition MPs challenged the government’s priorities, voicing ridicule, exasperation, and concern over the bill.
Labour MP Duncan Webb quipped that only Peters’ “wandering mind” could link Russian chandeliers to the English language debate.
“A silly piece of legislation that Winston Peters, in his Jurassic thinking, wants to put before his sub-sub-sub-section of voters because they get a little bit anxious because the library in Christchurch is called Tūranga. A big building full of books, with big signs on it, but because it doesn’t say ‘library’, they don’t know it’s the library if they’re New Zealand First voters.”
Webb noted that upon signing the Treaty of Waitangi, all English laws applied—but none mandated English as an official language.
“What’s the official language of the United Kingdom?” Webb said. “Well, it doesn’t say; it is not set out there in legislation. There is no English Act or United Kingdom Act which sets out English as an official language, but I’m pretty sure they’re comfortable with the fact that it’s an official language of England and the United Kingdom.”
For Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick, the government wanted Kiwis to be distracted” amid severe weather events and decade-high unemployment.
“They want us divided, and they want regular people exhausted, fighting amongst themselves. Some out there say that this government is stupid. Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, I think that they know exactly what they are doing,” she said.
“The English language is not under threat. We are literally speaking it and debating in it right now. This is a bill which is an answer to a problem that does not exist, a problem which this government is trying to create in the minds of people across this country, in place of the very real problems of the climate crisis, record homelessness, inequality and infrastructural decay.”
Swarbrick highlighted that Te Reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language were “fought for,” while English was “literally beaten” into people.
“This bill is a waste of time and a waste of breath,” she said.