David Seymour: Some say the bill will strip Māori of their mana – that’s not true.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi at the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti marches up Rotorua’s Fenton St on Friday. Photo / Ben Fraser
THREE KEY FACTS:
David Seymour is leader of the Act Party will become Deputy Prime Minister on May 31, 2025.
OPINION
The Treaty Principles Bill says that we all have ngā tikanga katoa rite tahi – the same rights and duties.
All New Zealanders have tino rangatiratanga, the right to self-determine, not only Māori. On this version, every child growing up in New Zealand deserves the same respect and dignity, including equality before the law.
It commits to protecting the rights of everyone, including Māori, and upholding Treaty settlements. It commits to give equal enjoyment of the same fundamental human rights to every single New Zealander. The challenge for people who oppose this bill is to explain why they are so opposed to those basic principles.
The dominant view this century says te Tiriti created a “partnership between races”. On this view what the two versions literally said is less important than the fact two parties did a deal. Therefore, the logic goes, we are forever bound to exist as a compact of two races in partnership according to the principles as they exist today. Just because a view is dominant, though, does not make it correct.
In New Zealand there are a mix of ancestries that face a mix of challenges and choices. Not every Māori is disadvantaged, and not every Māori is privileged. Far from it. If your goal is to help people in need, you should skip the division and just help people in need.
Sadly, there are groups out there who want to nullify the debate. Even those convinced the Treaty Principles Bill will not become law are determined to stop it being discussed. They know allowing this debate means it is only a matter of time before the bill’s logic prevails and each person in this country has equal rights.
I hear those who seek to stir up fear and division saying that the Treaty Principles Bill will strip Māori of your mana, your taonga and your reo.
That is simply not true. You need to ask, who’s telling me this, and why? If you don’t believe that, go read the bill. Read my statements about the importance of te reo. Look at Act’s record of voting for every Treaty Settlement.
The mission of this bill, and Act, is empowerment of all New Zealanders.
I’ve heard opposition members of Parliament throw around the term racism. Not only are they wrong, they devalue an important term. Categorising people by their race? That used to be called racism but it is what they’re advocating for. That’s why we must define the Treaty principles as giving equal rights to all New Zealanders.
I believe New Zealanders can be trusted with difficult debates. Ultimately, it’s the public that will persuade Parliament to advance the view that we should all be treated alike in dignity before the law. We all have a stake in our country’s future and its constitutional settings. In a democracy you don’t need to be prequalified to have your say.
I welcome you to be part of this difficult but important discussion. I believe it’s one we are ready to have as a country, and one we need to have if we want a future we can be proud of.