Christopher Luxon should ‘front up’ at Waitangi, says Treaty Grounds chief

Tuesday, 17 December 2024

The prime minister says he hasn't decided whether he will visit Waitangi for Waitangi Day

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been urged to 'front up' at Waitangi Day celebrations by prominent Ngāpuhi leader Pita Tipene.

Luxon is considering visiting other Treaty of Waitangi sites instead of attending Waitangi Day events at Waitangi.

Leaders of every other political party and Crown-Māori Relations Minister Tama Potaka confirmed attendance at Waitangi Day celebrations.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should “front up” at Waitangi, the chairperson of the Treaty Grounds says.

Pita Tipene, who is a prominent Ngāpuhi leader and chairperson of the Waitangi National Trust, said Luxon had a duty - as the leader of the Government - to participate in the important conversations about “nationhood” that would take place at Waitangi.

But Luxon has sown doubt about his attendance at the national Waitangi Day events, saying he may look to go elsewhere on the national day.

On Monday, he said he was still considering his plans for Waitangi Day. Although, he did confirm he planned to make the annual pilgrimage to Rātana Pā in January.

While Luxon won’t confirm his attendance, the leaders of every other party confirmed to Stuff they would be going to Waitangi. Crown-Māori Relations Minister Tama Potaka also confirmed he would be there, but said he didn’t know what the prime minister’s plans were.

Christopher Luxon attended events at Waitangi in 2023 and 2024.

Tipene said it was important for leaders and New Zealand to come together at Waitangi.

“On a day called Waitangi Day, the Kāwanantanga must be at Waitangi to continue on with those conversations. To be anywhere else is not a good thing,” Tipene told Stuff on Tuesday.

He said he had not heard from Luxon about his attendance at next year’s Waitangi events, and had only heard through Stuff that Luxon was still considering whether to attend.

“The prime minister and the Government, or anybody else for that matter, does not need an invitation to come to Waitangi. The invitation is a given, and it's the place that Kāwanantanga and Rangatiratanga need to front up,” Tipene said.

Pita Tipen is the chairperson of the Waitangi National Trust, which organises events at Waitangi each year.

Given the coalition’s focus on Treaty reform, he said it was important that the prime minister continued to have those discussions at Waitangi.

“We have a clear position about having discourse and being a hub for discussion on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, so it behoves on the prime minister to front up,” he said.

“The prime minister is the head of the Kāwanantanga and will be conspicuous by his absence.”

Luxon attended Waitangi Day events at Waitangi as leader of the Opposition in 2023, and as prime minister earlier this year.

It is custom for New Zealand’s leaders to convene at the Treaty Grounds each year to mark the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

During the annual event, the heads of Government departments, the judiciary, political parties, faiths, iwi, hapū, charities, and also diplomats from across the globe, convene at Waitangi alongside members of the public and activists.

Luxon, on Monday, said he was thinking of going on a national tour instead of going to Waitangi each year.

Labour Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said there may be safety issues for the prime minister at Waitangi.

'I've always thought, even when I was in opposition, that it would be good; I'd love to go around the sites where the Treaty was signed all across New Zealand,' he said.

He said he'd received invites from many, including those at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, for Waitangi Day.

'I'll announce that shortly. I was just foreshadowing that I've been invited by a number of iwi to Waitangi Day celebrations,' he told Stuff.

He said his ongoing deliberation was not due to security concerns.

However, Labour Māori development spokesperson Willie Jackson suggested there were security concerns.

“I've spoken with a couple of people who said otherwise. I'm not going to tell you who they were. I want the Government to go there. I want to debate with David Seymour there. I'd like to see the prime minister there,” Jackson said.

“From from what I've heard, you know, there's a lot of anger up there. I would hope that they would be safe,” he said.

Tipene also disputed Jackson’s claim. He said the Waitangi National Trust was well used to calming tensions.

“Look, there is always going to be some form of angst or tension in the air and every Waitangi and there is absolutely no doubt tensions are heightened at the moment because of the Treaty Principles Bill and a number other kaupapa that are seriously affecting the Māori people,” Tipene said.

“We've worked through these things before, and there's no reason why we can't work through them at Waitangi Day next year.”

He said he had not heard from the prime minister about his attendance next year, although knew there were conversations happening “at an operational level”.