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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has again voiced his firm opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill, which aims to define the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in legislation. While National will support the bill through its first reading as part of the coalition agreement with ACT, Luxon emphasised that National would vote against it at the second reading, citing the bill’s “very simplistic” approach to complex Treaty matters.
Speaking to the press today before departing for the APEC summit in Peru, Luxon described the bill as a legislative “shortcut” that overlooks the depth of 184 years of New Zealand’s Treaty dialogue. Luxon’s remarks come amid rising public debate and ongoing demonstrations by opponents, including the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, which is making its way to Wellington to coincide with the reading of the bill in Parliament.
An MMP Compromise
The Treaty Principles Bill seeks to clarify the principles of the Treaty in legislation; a move ACT believes will bring consistency to its interpretation across New Zealand’s laws. However, National, despite its coalition obligations, does not back the bill’s approach, supporting it through the first reading as a pragmatic concession under the MMP system.
Luxon emphasised that New Zealand’s coalition-based government requires parties to compromise, citing similar multiparty coalition arrangements in Western Europe. “I didn’t get what I wanted, and David Seymour and ACT didn’t get what they wanted,” Luxon stated. “You have parties that come together in […] coalitions with lots of different views, and they have to accommodate those agendas. That’s what the New Zealand people expect us to do in our democracy. That is the electoral system they have selected.”
Luxon made clear that National’s support is conditional and limited, stressing that his party’s vote at the first reading is to honour the coalition agreement, not an endorsement of the bill itself. He noted that while National and ACT share common ground on issues like economic reform and law and order, treaty issues remain an area of divergence.
Luxon Wants a “Case-by-Case” Approach
In his critique of the bill, Luxon expressed a preference for dealing with Treaty-related issues on a “case-by-case” basis rather than through sweeping legislation. He argued that the bill’s attempt to “rewrite 184 years of debate and discussion with a single stroke of a pen” fails to recognise the nuances required in treaty matters.
“We think our approach as a national party is a much better one, which is that we actually engage on those issues issue by issue, case by case, and we will work it through together,” Luxon said. He pointed to specific recent initiatives, including the Waikato Tainui deal and Tama Potaka’s initiative to reduce the number of people in emergency housing, as examples of National’s commitment to improving outcomes for Māori through targeted actions rather than broad legislation.
Seymour’s Position
While Luxon criticised the bill as divisive, ACT leader David Seymour argued that it provides necessary clarity on Treaty principles and would promote a national discussion about the Treaty’s role in New Zealand’s constitution. Seymour has maintained that the bill supports equal rights, contending that current Treaty interpretations foster unequal treatment based on ancestry.
Responding to Seymour, Luxon underscored the importance of balancing Treaty obligations with the principle of equal rights, acknowledging that this balancing act creates an inherent tension. “But you can’t come down on one side of it and say it’s all equal rights, and we dismiss what our obligations are with the treaty,” he said.
Luxon’s continued opposition to the bill highlights a key divide within the coalition government. While he downplayed the notion of coalition discord, Luxon acknowledged strong emotions around the Treaty debate and the protests expected in Wellington, noting that National’s stance is driven by a belief that a comprehensive, legislated definition of Treaty principles is not the right approach.
Luxon More Concerned with the “Hard Issues”
Throughout his comments, Luxon reiterated his view that the bill detracts from what he considers National’s main priorities: economic recovery, reducing crime, and improving public services. Luxon argued that New Zealanders are more concerned with other “hard issues.”
“The hard issues are, in fact, the hard things that Kiwis are dealing with right now. And what they’re dealing with is a cost of living. What they’re dealing with is the threat of losing their jobs. What they’re dealing with is rising crime. What they’ve been dealing with is an education system that’s failing their kids.
“That’s what the National Party’s focused on. We’re focused on dealing with the hard issues. And frankly, a treaty principles bill that’s simplistic, that hopes to rewrite a debate and discussion over 184 years through the stroke of a pen, is not the way forward.”
Luxon also defended National’s decision to honour the coalition agreement despite his party’s objections to the bill. “We have a coalition agreement around supporting the bill to first reading, which I’ve articulated from the beginning for the reasons that we are an MMP environment, coalition government. And I get it – not something I wanted and not something Seymour wanted either.”
Luxon reiterated that National would vote against the bill at the second reading and beyond.