Crown-Māori relations are “probably worse” under the coalition government with “more division” now than when they came to power, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.
However, the PM said there had been frustration created “by some pretty horrendous decisions” made by the previous government.
It comes after more than 42,000 people marched on Parliament as part of a nationwide hīkoi, with many stridently protesting the Government’s Treaty Principles Bill.
Luxon was questioned about the legislation and his Government’s record on Crown-Māori relations in a testy and wide-ranging Q+A interview this morning.
Asked if he believed relations were better or worse today than when the coalition took power, the PM said: “I think there’s more division”.
“I think it’s a challenging time at the moment – there’s no doubt about it. There’s strong feeling on all sides of that debate. I think it’s been building for some time.”
He blamed the previous Labour government for getting “a lot wrong,” saying it “didn’t take people with them,” pointing to the Māori Health Authority, Three Waters reforms, and referendums on Māori council wards – policies which the coalition has ditched.
Pressed on the issue, the Prime Minister said he thought indigenous relations were “probably worse” now than 12 months ago.
“I think there are strong feelings on all sides of that debate, but that frustration was created by some pretty horrendous decisions under Ardern and Hipkins.”
Did Luxon expect division from Treaty bill?
The PM said he anticipated the levels of opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill during coalition negotiations, when he agreed for National to support it to a first reading.
The bill has been pushed by ACT, which pledged a referendum on the principles during the campaign and since came to a “quite normal” compromise with National, Luxon said.
“I don’t like the bill at all,” he said.
“I don’t think it’s the right way to deal with race relations in this country. We came to a compromise that is quite normal in coalition governments and MMP environments, and that will continue to be normal going forward.”
The National leader said it was “the thing that took the longest to resolve” during negotiations but refused to say whether it was a bottom line for his coalition partner.
ACT leader David Seymour spoke freely this week, telling Q+A he never threatened to take the country back to the polls over the Treaty Principles legislation.
When told of his coalition partner’s comment in his interview, the PM said he wasn’t able to speak about the conversations he had with party leaders in negotiation.
Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of New Zealand On Air