PM told he’s ‘thrown Māori under the bus’, rules out supporting Treaty Principles Bill at Te Koroneihana

Monday, 19 August 2024

At the Māori King's coronation, leaders criticised the Government for dismantling Māori policies. While the Prime Minister faced strong criticism, his attendance was acknowledged, underscoring ongoing tensions.

It’s a frosty reception for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at Turangawaewae Marae on Monday, with Tukoroirangi Morgan beginning the ceremony by telling Luxon that his Government has “thrown Māori under the bus”.

“We've watched your Government dismantle everything that is meaningful to Māori in this country,” Morgan said. “You've thrown Māori under the bus and you've run them over.”

Morgan has also asked ministers to guarantee that they would not support the Treaty Principles Bill past its first reading.

The Bill, proposed by ACT leader and Associate Justice Minister David Seymour, was part of the National-ACT coalition agreement. But National has not agreed to support it past its first reading in Parliament.

Morgan called iwi across the country to unite.

'We know your ears are deaf to our people. So here's the score, we say to iwi across this country that we have to unite. The King has said we must unite,' Morgan said.

PM Chris Luxon listens through the rain at Ngāruawāhia.

MPs across the Parliament, except the ACT Party, spent Monday afternoon at the annual coronation celebration of Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII.

This year's Koroneihana comes at a challenging time for Māori-Crown relations, and the Māori King, Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII, has directly challenged the Government over its policies impacting Māori.

Tukoroirangi Morgan, chairperson of the Te Arataura executive of Waikato-Tainui told Luxon that the Government has “thrown Māori under the bus” (file photo).

Following Morgan’s speech, the first speaker was Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka who called Morgan’s kōrero “rawe”, meaning “great”, but he denied that the Government was failing to deliver for Māori.

Speaking in te reo, Potaka said he was committed to investing in services to grow te reo Māori and Māori cultural events, such as Te Matatini.

He said other ministers, such as Social Development Minister Louise Upston, were committed to building the Māori economy.

In his speech, Labour leader Chris Hipkins called the Government “paddling the waka backwards”.

Labour’s Chris Hipkins listening to speeches at Koroneihana.

He said it was deeply concerning that pilot, military-style bootcamps for young offenders started as Parliament mulled the findings of the Royal Commission Inquiry into historic abuse in care.

Hipkins said the Government was not just on the wrong side of history, but on the wrong side of public opinion, regarding policies about te reo, Te Tiriti, and Māori rights.

Winston Peters and Shane Jones at Koroneihana.

Regional Development Minister Shane Jones gave a guarantee to the Kiingitanga that NZ First will not support the Treaty Principles Bill.

Jones guaranteed that NZ First would only support the bill’s introduction according to the “scripture” which is the coalition agreements.

“There is no ambiguity, no doubt, that the bill you refer to - the Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill - will not be voted for by New Zealand First after its introduction to Parliament,” Jones said.

Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said Luxon and Shane Jones should not present the coalition agreements as unbreakable nor unchangeable.

She said the Government should respond to concerns of the public, and the coalition should not be locked into decisions negotiated last year.

Later, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said Māori are uniting due to the 'horrific Government'.

Her speech, preceding that of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, predicted a snowballing of opposition to the coalition Government.

As the last speaker, PM Chris Luxon said he is listening to Māori and will not support the Treaty Principles Bill past its first reading.

Deputy Prime Minister and NZ First leader Winston Peters left before he had the opportunity to speak.