PM Christopher Luxon won’t allow conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill

Thursday, 14 November 2024

PM Christopher Luxon addresses Treaty Principles Bill before heading to Apec.

The Treaty Principles Bill will have its first reading in Parliament on Thursday - and questions are swirling as to whether all National MPs are comfortable with supporting it.

The bill was a bottom line for ACT in coalition negotiations, however National only gave a commitment to support it at first reading, which will send it to a select committee process.

“Since we’ve entered the coalition agreement, we’ve talked about it openly as a caucus. We also believe very strongly it’s not something we’re supporting, and we know why we’re not supporting it,” Luxon said.

Luxon said there had not been a debate at caucus meetings as to whether to treat the issue as a conscience vote, which would allow MPs to vote according to their conscience rather than being forced to support the position of the party.

“That hasn’t been a topic of conversation,” he said.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the Treaty Principles Bill is divisive and unhelpful.

When Stuff asked if any National MPs had raised concerns either directly with him or as part of wider discussions at National caucus meetings, Luxon said he was “unaware of that”.

“And again, as you know, we don’t talk about caucus conversations,” he said.

But Luxon said even if his MPs asked to vote with their conscience, he wouldn’t have allowed it.

“No, we've been, we are, we are voting as a party on the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill. That is our position. But as you know, we have a united view, which we just don't think this is the right way forward.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the National Party will vote as a party.

“Treaty issues are complex, and I think it’s very simplistic with a stroke of a pen to believe that you can resolve 184-year debate and discussion,” he said.

When asked if she was comfortable with her name being on the history books as voting for the bill on first reading, Education Minister Erica Stanford said she was comfortable fulfilling the coalition agreement.

“My name will go down in history as one of the members of the National Party that fulfilled a coalition agreement.”

Stuff asked a number of backbench National MPs as they left the debating chamber from a morning session if they were comfortable with their names being on the history books as supporting the legislation.

Upper Harbour MP Cameron Brewer said the prime minister had made the position clear and he wasn’t aware of anyone asking for a conscience vote.

“No, not that I’m aware we’ve had some fantastic discussions in caucus we know peoples views in the National Party on either said and we’re going through the process, the legitimate process of exercising the coalition agreement.”

Whanganui MP Carl Bates said he wouldn’t talk about what went on in caucus.

Rangitata MP James Meager said all MPs were comfortable supporting the bill at first reading - and hesitated to say whether a conscience vote had been discussed at caucus.

“I can’t say what we discussed in caucus, but that, I don’t want to say yes or no,” he said.

The prime minister also took another swipe at his coalition partner David Seymour who’s recently alleged Luxon and his party are “afraid” to tackle hard issues.

“Well, I saw his comments, and I just say 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 is 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.

“It’s not helping us get New Zealand back on track,” he said.

Seymour bit back, saying that without the bill there wouldn’t be a coalition, and if the PM had allowed a conscience vote the coalition may have been in jeopardy.

“It would be a major breach and we’d have to have a very serious conversation about whether we can trust each other to keep our commitments all of which we have done up until now.”