David Seymour given new associate justice portfolio so he can manage controversial Treaty Principles Bill

Friday, 26 January 2024

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has handed ACT Party leader and incoming deputy prime minister, David Seymour, an extra portfolio, making him the associate justice minister so he can manage the Treaty Principles Bill.

National agreed to support the proposed legislation to define the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to its first reading. Luxon has said the Bill would be divisive and unhelpful but hasn’t ruled out supporting it at its second and third readings.

A leaked Ministry of Justice document raised fundamental problems with the bill - an ACT Party policy in its coalition agreement with National - which is said was not supported by the spirit of the Treaty - or its text.

There is growing concern over where the Bill may lead race-relations and Maori self-determination. At Rātana Pā celebrations, Luxon faced down criticism his coalition government was a “three-headed taniwha” and heard there was “mistrust and scepticism” towards it.

It also comes after nearly 10,000 travelled to Ngāruawāhia, in the Waikato, answering a rare call from Kiingi Tuuheitia for a Te Hui-a-motu, or national unity hui, partly in response to the coalition government’s policies.

In a statement, Luxon also appointed NZ First MPs Mark Patterson and Jenny Marcroft an associate Minister for Regional Development, and Under-Secretary to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, respectively.

“Finally, Erica Stanford assumes responsibility for matters relating to the Crown’s response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care,”he said.

The changes have no impact on the make-up of Cabinet or the size of the executive.

Seymour is also the Minister for Regulation, a new ministry set up under this government, and an associate minister of health, finance and education.