The Act Party’s call for a Treaty referendum appears to be dead in the water with coalition partner Winston Peters also now ruling it out.
Peters, Act’s David Seymour and National’s Christopher Luxon are currently negotiating a coalition to form the next Government.
Luxon has previously said no to Act’s referendum and today Peters echoed that.
But New Zealand First leader Peters said he wants the Waitangi Tribunal brought back into line and do what it was originally intended to do and to stop overstepping its brief.
Peters told Radio Waatea host Dale Husband the Treaty is not the problem, but the tribunal has gone way past its mandate.
“They’re getting involved in all sorts of decision making which is not democratic in any way, shape or form. Far too much is being ignored as they assume powers they never had,” he says.
Peters says parties are working as fast as they can on forming a coalition but it’s only been four weekdays since the final shape of the next Parliament was known.
The Waitangi Tribunal is a standing commission of inquiry and was established in 1975.
Act leader David Seymour wants to negotiate with NZ First.
It makes recommendations on claims brought by Māori relating to legislation, policies, actions or omissions of the Crown that are alleged to breach the promises made in the Treaty of Waitangi.
The role of the tribunal is set out in section five of the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 and includes:
* inquiring into and making recommendations on well-founded claims;
* examining and reporting on proposed legislation, if it is referred to the tribunal by the House of Representatives or a Minister of the Crown;
* making recommendations or determinations about certain Crown forest land, railways land, state-owned enterprise land, and land transferred to educational institutions.
