Christopher Luxon says his hands are tied on Treaty Bill, set for release in two months

Monday, 9 September 2024

Cabinet ministers agreed on Monday about how the Treaty Principles Bill should be constructed.

Debate about the bill has followed Luxon across the country, since he started as prime minister.

During coalition negotiations, the parties agreed to support the bill - proposed by the ACT Party - only at its first reading.

The Treaty Principles Bill is inching closer towards Parliament, with Cabinet on Monday discussing how to construct the highly controversial bill.

The bill would propose a major constitutional change, rewriting the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It’s a project led by Associate Justice Minister David Seymour, who argues the core focus of Te Tiriti is not indigenous rights, but property rights.

Cabinet ministers agreed on Monday about how the bill should be constructed. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was expecting the bill to arrive at Parliament in November.

Debate about the bill has followed Luxon across the country, since he started as prime minister. It became a focal point for his Government’s relationship with iwi and Māori during the Rātana Hui, at the extraordinary Kiingitanga Hui-aa-motu, on Waitangi Day, and most recently at the final Koroneihana for the late Kiingi Tūheitia.

At each stage, Luxon has attempted to placate criticism by distancing himself from the Government bill. He said National would not support the bill to become law, but would support a public inquiry - by way of select committee - into its contents.

During coalition negotiations, the parties agreed to support the bill - proposed by the ACT Party - only on its first reading.

On Monday, after the Cabinet discussed the bill, Luxon reasserted that there would be no referendum about the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.

“We are supporting a bill to first reading. It will come to the house in November,” Luxon said, during Monday’s post-Cabinet press conference.

“As I’ve said very clearly, as National Party leader, that is not something that we will support beyond its first reading,” he said.

Opposition to the bill grew on Monday, with the clergy joining in chorus to urge the Government to drop the bill.

More than 400 Christian leaders signed a letter urging the Government to kill the bill.

“The Treaty Principles Bill may destabilise and harm Aotearoa New Zealand,” their letter said.

They said the Christian churches had a “duty” to uphold the mana of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, given the role of missionaries in crafting it.

“We therefore view with concern, and oppose the proposed Treaty Principles Bill. We call on all Members of Parliament to do everything in their power to not take this Bill to Select Committee,” the letter said.

Labour’s Willie Jackson said the bill shouldn’t even enter Parliament.

“Cabinet can stop it today. National party Ministers should put their foot down now. If Christopher Luxon won’t, they should collectively tell David Seymour they disagree with his divisive agenda,” Jackson said.

But Luxon said he wouldn’t be stopping the bill yet, because he agreed with Seymour that it would be considered by a parliamentary select committee.

“People are entitled to their views. I have a coalition agreement commitment. I honour those commitments,” he said.

During those negotiations, he said the Treaty Principles Bill had been a sticking point.

“The Treaty Principles Bill, you know that our coalition negotiations took some time. That was a big part for why it took a while for us to get there,” he said.

Seymour said Luxon and critics, such as the clergy, should wait to debate the bill when it arrives in Parliament.

He said the bill would reinforce “that all humans have equal rights”.