Two polls, differing views on the Treaty Principles Bill backing

Sunday, 15 December 2024

Act leader David Seymour defends his Treaty principles bill after protests against it, saying it allows every New Zealander to have a voice on constitutional issues.

This story was subject of an upheld Media Council complaint. Read the full decision here.

An ACT Party commissioned public poll on the Treaty Principles Bill shows a narrow margin of support for the contentious legislation.

The poll, run by Curia Research, records 39% of respondents supporting the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill, while 36% opposed and 25% were unsure.

It was released on Sunday, as the The Post/Freshwater published a poll that showed opposition to the bill. However, the question differed from that of The Post/Freshwater poll.

The ACT poll asked those surveyed whether they supported, opposed, or were unsure about “Parliament passing the Treaty Principles Bill that would trigger a referendum on defining the Treaty Principles”, having already asked about each of the three principles in the bill.

A protester on the day the Treaty Principles Bill was introduced into Parliament.

The The Post/Freshwater poll asked whether they supported, opposed, were neutral or unsure, about ACT Leader David Seymour’s proposed legislation that would reinterpret the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.

In this poll, 40% opposed, 30% supported, 17% were neutral, and 13% were unsure.

The Post/Freshwater also asked whether the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi should be defined by Parliament or the courts, or through a referendum. 40% answered that the principles should be defined through a referendum, 29% said it would be defined by Parliament or the Courts, and 31% of people were unsure.

Freshwater poll on the Treaty Principles Bill.

The ACT poll first asked those surveyed about the specific principles the party has proposed enshrining into law through its Treaty Principles Bill.

The bill would hold a referendum asking to codify new principles in law that replace the current understanding of the Government and courts of Treaty principles which has developed over decades of effort to translate the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi into the modern setting.

The ACT poll found when those surveyed were asked about each principle, at least a plurality supported each. A plurality is not a majority but the largest group.

In the case of the first principle ‒ that the Government has power to govern in the best interests of everyone, in accordance with the rule of law and the maintenance of a free and democratic society ‒ there was 45% support.

It was opposed by 24%, and 31% were unsure.

For the second ‒ that the Crown will respect and protect the rights of Māori under the Treaty as of 1840, and those rights will only differ from the rights of everyone if agreed in a Treaty settlement ‒ there was 42% support.

It was opposed by 25%, and 34% were unsure.

For the third ‒ that everyone is equal before the law and is entitled without discrimination to the protection and benefit of the law, and the enjoyment of the same human rights ‒ there was 62% support, a majority.

It was opposed by 14%, and 24% were unsure.

ACT leader David Seymour said the poll showed when people heard what the Treaty Principles Bill does, they supported it.

For The Post/Freshwater, Freshwater Strategy surveyed 1150 eligible New Zealand voters via online panels between November 26-27. The data is weighted to be representative of New Zealand voters and the margin of error is approximately ±3%.

For the ACT poll, Curia Research surveyed 1000 people, 800 through landline and mobile phones, and 200 by online panel, between December 103. The data was also weighted to represent the voting population, and the margin of error was ±3.1%.

ACT’s bill promotes these three principles:

The Government has power to govern in the best interests of everyone, in accordance with the rule of law and the maintenance of a free and democratic society.
The Crown will respect and protect the rights of Māori under the Treaty as of 1840, and those rights will only differ from the rights of everyone if agreed in a Treaty settlement.
Everyone is equal before the law and is entitled without discrimination to the protection and benefit of the law, and the enjoyment of the same human rights.