Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says recent comments from ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour criticising the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”.
The tribunal is currently holding an inquiry into the Government’s plan to scrap Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act, which compels the ministry to give effect to the Treaty of Waitangi.
Section 7AA in the Act requires the Oranga Tamariki chief executive to publicly report on the agency’s progress in improving outcomes for Māori children in state care.
In a rare move, the tribunal has summonsed Children’s Minister Karen Chhour to give evidence.
NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones criticised the decision, telling Waatea News earlier this week: “The Waitangi Tribunal has no business running its operations as some sort of star chamber delivering summons for ministers to rock up and be cross-examined or grilled.”
He also said he was looking forward to conducting a review of the Tribunal’s powers as part of the coalition agreement.
It was strongly rebuked by the Māori Law Society. In an urgent letter to Luxon on Wednesday, Māori lawyers said Jones’ comments were not only “inappropriate” and “unconstitutional” but also a breach of the minister’s obligations in the Cabinet Manual.
Luxon today told reporters during a stand-up from Manila – where he is part of a trade delegation to Southeast Asia – that his ministers’ comments were “ill-considered”.
“We expect all ministers to exercise good judgement in their communications on matters like this,” Luxon said.
“What we need to be focused on is… to look at the future role of the Waitangi Tribunal going forward and that’s something that should happen in a proper and considered process.
“I think the comments are ill-considered.”
Jones’ comments were followed by a media release from Seymour yesterday saying he was “deeply fearful” of the attempt to summons Chhour and accusing the tribunal of “race fanaticism”.
The ACT leader claimed the tribunal “don’t seem to understand the subject”, saying Chhour was seeking to repeal Section 7AA “because a child’s safety and welfare matter more than their race”.
“Section 7AA has led to Māori children being uplifted from loving homes due to the ethnicity of the carers. The tribunal seems to think that’s OK. I call it race fanaticism,” Seymour said.
“The tribunal summonsed the wrong woman, on the wrong issue, at the wrong time. No wonder some people think they’re past their use-by date. Perhaps they should be wound up for their own good.”
When asked by reporters about Seymour’s comments, Luxon reiterated that it was “ill-considered”, adding that he expected his ministers “to actually exercise good judgement on communications of that nature”.
“But what I would say to you is that there is no doubt about it now – we are focused on making sure that going forward in a post-treaty settlements world, what is the future role and scope and purpose of the Waitangi Tribunal? That needs some thinking. We will work that through in a very proper and comprehensive way in Government.”