Cam Slater: Exactly What We Voted For

It seems that voting for NZ First and Act is delivering exactly what we voted for – a stiffening of the National Party spine. It also appears that NZ First and Act are working together to add that back bone, if reports in the media are to be believed.

Senior New Zealand First MP Shane Jones made supportive remarks about Act leader David Seymour’s approach to the issue of the Treaty of Waitangi this morning, saying there would be a “reset” in Maori policy under the new Government.

Seymour has been pushing for Act’s policy of a referendum that redefines the Treaty principles in a far narrower way than they have been defined in recent history. Labour’s Willie Jackson has said this would be “dangerous” and could lead to unrest.

Jones, speaking to Radio Waatea, said he can “totally understand why David Seymour wants to tidy this area up”.

Jones’ complaint is that the courts and the Waitangi Tribunal have liberally interpreted the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and have gone beyond what was intended by Parliament when it began including references to Treaty principles in legislation decades ago.

He was also critical of the greater use of things like tikanga Maori by the courts.

“The liberalism being shown by the courts in terms of interpreting the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi – we want the courts to go back to the role they have historically occupied, which is to interpret the law,” Jones said.

He took aim at a Supreme Court decision from 2021 relating to the mining of iron sands off the coast of Taranaki. The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) granted consents to mine, but that decision was quashed by the courts. A majority on the Supreme Court agreed the EPA should have taken tikanga Maori into account when it made its original decision to grant a consent.

“I share those concerns [of Seymour] that it is the role of Parliament to make the laws. Not the role of the courts to follow flights of fancy or indeed to thwart the will of Parliament,” Jones said.

NZ First is known to oppose using a referendum to redefine the principles of the Treaty. In the past, the party has put up legislation to legislate the principles out of existence completely.

It is possible Act and NZ First, which appear to have drawn close to each other as they negotiate to form the new Government with National, may compromise on another way of addressing Treaty issues.

“There are various ways to remind jurists of what their proper role is,” Jones said.

NZ Herald

This is great news for those of us who saw National as weak and woke on this issue. Now they are being forced into action by both Act and NZ First.

National, by all accounts from sources, started off negotiating with Winston Peters in the same way that was unsuccessful in 2017, offering up bribes and baubles when it was policy discussions that were needed. NZ First went quiet, placed a few judicious leaks around the place, and this time National took heed.

Make no mistake though, were it not for NZ First and Act then the status quo would have ensued.

This is exactly the type of policy volte-face that John Banks alluded to in my interview with him last week. It is much needed and should set New Zealand on a path that avoids the ethno-nationalism that Labour, Greens and the Maori Parties were leading us towards.

Which is what we voted for. Great stuff, and very pleasing to hear.

Cam Slater is a New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. Cam blogs regularly on the BFD - where this article was sourced.