David Seymour demands apology from Willie Jackson before Treaty debate

Labour’s Willie Jackson was told to leave the House after calling David Seymour a ‘liar’ as debate over Treaty Principles Bill raged on November 14, 2024. Photo / Mark Mitchell

• Labour MP Willie Jackson will debate David Seymour on Act’s Treaty Principles Bill.
• Seymour demands an apology from Jackson for calling him a liar before the debate.
• Jackson was ejected from the chamber for his comments during the bill’s first reading on November 14.

Labour MP Willie Jackson has announced he will debate David Seymour on Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill.

But Seymour said he wants an apology from Jackson for calling him a liar first.

Jackson was booted out of the debating chamber at the first reading of Seymour’s Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill had its first reading on November 14.

In his speech debating the bill, Jackson called Seymour a liar, saying his comments were driven from the people he had spoken to on the national hīkoi, which travelled the country seeking support and opposition to Seymour’s Bill.

Labour MP Willie Jackson and Act leader David Seymour.

“This new set of principles that he’s putting up says that they want to change the Treaty.

“I won’t be apologising at all. I think it’s right to pass on the information I got from the hīkoi,” Jackson said.

But if he wants to take on Seymour in a Treaty Principles debate, he’s going to have to say sorry.

“I’m happy to debate Willie just as soon as he apologises for calling me a liar,” Seymour told the Herald.

“It’s not personal. It’s just hard to have a debate if you don’t believe what the other person is saying.”

This marks the second challenge to Seymour by a Māori leader, following Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Toa Rangatira chief executive Helmut Modlik, who debated Seymour this past October on Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury and Damien Grant’s podcast, The Working Group.

During a TikTok livestream with Waatea Digital, Jackson urged everyone to continue challenging Seymour and not to take their foot off the gas.

“I’m gonna debate the guy. I’ve made a decision in the last couple of days. People will hear more about that later on. Kia ū ki te kaupapa. Kia kaha. Keep challenging, keep fighting,” says Jackson.

It is likely a debate could happen during the Waitangi Day celebrations, as all politicians will be in attendance.

Jackson is hoping to confirm where and when their debate will take place with Seymour before Parliament breaks for Christmas.