David Seymour to attend Waitangi despite hapū's warning over contentious bill

Act Party leader David Seymour fights to be heard over a waiata during Waitangi commemorations last year. But the commotion, and advice from his hapū, have not put him off returning in 2025. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Treaty Principles Bill creator David Seymour plans to attend the 2025 Waitangi commemorations despite his hapū formally advising him not to come because of concerns around the bill.

In a letter to Seymour also sent to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and NZ First leader Winston Peters, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia chair William “Kipa” Munro said the bill has been highly contentious, divisive and is seen by many as a breach of Te Tīriti o Waitangi itself.

“Your hapū have supported your attendance at Waitangi in the past but, with respect, our advice this year is that while this bill is still being progressed and you are still actively supporting it, we do not believe it would be an appropriate decision to attend Waitangi,” the letter to Seymour said.

“We would like you to consider putting the concerns of your hapū at the forefront while making your decision around attendance this year.”

Munro said the Treaty Principles Bill threatens the mana of Te Tīriti o Waitangi and the rights of te iwi Māori.

The bill attracted a record 300,000 written submissions when the deadline closed earlier this month, causing technical issues on Parliament’s website.

It will be considered by the Justice select committee but will not be supported by National or NZ First past its first reading.

Seymour was defiant in the face of the advice from his hapū, saying he would be attending Waitangi to celebrate the signing of the Treaty and to take part in discussion of what it means.

“I’ll be attending as a Member of the Government, which is obliged to serve all New Zealanders equally. It would be wrong to say I was attending on behalf of one hapū. By the same token, I wouldn’t not attend due to one hapū.”

During last year’s commemorations at Waitangi, Seymour had to fight to be heard over a waiata, sung in protest of the Treaty Principles Bill to tell him to sit down.

He acknowledged the bill will be a topic of discussion again but said it is about giving the same rights and duties to all New Zealanders.

“All New Zealanders have tino rangatiratanga, the right to self-determine, not only Māori. 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.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia chair Kipa Munro advised Seymour not to attend this year’s commemorations at Waitangi, while the Treaty Principles Bill is still before select committee. Photo / NZME

“The challenge for people who oppose this bill is to explain why they are so opposed to those basic principles.”

While Seymour will be at the Treaty Grounds on Waitangi Day, Luxon will not be attending.

In December, the Prime Minister said he would be “elsewhere”.

He did not give details of where he would be on Waitangi Day at the time, nor when asked during his State of the Nation speech on Thursday.

This is not the first time Seymour has clashed with Ngāti Rēhia, the Ngāpuhi hapū the Act Party leader has whakapapa to through his mother.

In November, the rūnanga leaders also sent a statement to Seymour, saying the bill went against everything the hapū had fought for.

He was also defiant then, saying he would not bow down to leaders of his hapū.

While Seymour called Ngāti Rēhia his hapū, he said it was disappointing some members could not support the right to differ and had taken to publicly sharing their correspondence.

“They have my personal phone number. They text me about things like wanting a charter school ... They could easily have picked up the phone regarding these concerns.”

Munro was unable to respond to the Northern Advocate’s questions.