Waitangi: PM accuses National/Act of stoking fear about co-governance

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is accusing National and Act of using uncertainty around co-governance to stoke fear.

Speaking from Waitangi, Hipkins has also accepted some blame for the public’s lack of understanding of co-governance, saying the Government’s overloaded work programme hasn’t allowed for a measured discussion on the topic.

Hipkins had just attended the National Iwi Chairs Forum where he met with Māori leaders and discussed a range of subjects, including co-governance, housing, health and education.

He told reporters iwi leaders had expressed their concerns about race and ethnicity being used to divide New Zealanders.

Hipkins said he had reiterated his commitment to avoid that from happening and believed his meeting indicated a strong relationship between Māori and the Government going forward.

Asked about the misconceptions around co-governance, Hipkins felt the topic had been misunderstood by the public - partly because Opposition parties had used it to stoke fear.

“Those who seek to use misunderstanding around it for political advantage need to reflect on their own behaviour.

“I certainly think the Opposition - National and Act - have used, as they have done in the past, uncertainty to try and stoke fear.”

Hipkins did, however, acknowledge his Government’s role in allowing the uncertainty to fester.

“One of the challenges we’ve had is because we’ve been doing so many different things, actually, we probably haven’t created the space to make sure people understand what we’re doing and why were doing it, and that’s absolutely been a lesson for us over the last five years, it’s something that we have all reflected on and you’ll some change in that regard.”

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins spoke to reporters in Waitangi. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Act Party leader David Seymour said Hipkins’ comments were similar to criticisms made by his predecessor, Jacinda Ardern.

“The new Prime Minister is picking up where the old Prime Minister left off: attempting to blame ACT for the divisions Labour is creating,” Seymour said.

“New Zealanders have an expectation that the new Prime Minister will take a new approach to constitutional issues and treat all Kiwis equally.”

National leader Christopher Luxon countered Hipkins’ narrative, claiming Labour had “progressed a divisive agenda”.

“It is disappointing to see the new Prime Minister try to shut down the discussion rather than clearly setting out Labour’s plans for the public to judge.”

The Herald today reported some iwi leaders were in favour of retiring the term co-governance as a way of explaining partnership arrangements between the Crown and Māori.

Asked whether he thought co-governance should be swapped for a different term, Hipkins said that issue wasn’t raised during the meeting.

However, he did say he “loved” the phrase “mahitahi” - which meant working together - but he later said that comment wasn’t an indication he was planning to ditch using the term, co-governance.

Hipkins said the meeting largely consisted of canvassing what Government and Māori had achieved together and what more should be done, particularly in housing, health and education.

He said he conveyed the Government’s commitment to work with Māori organisations and was pleased their priorities aligned with his.

Co-governance was closely tied to the Government’s Three Waters legislation, which aimed to improve the management of the country’s drinking water, wastewater and stormwater.

This included establishing four entities governed by territorial authorities and mana whenua - the co-governance aspect.

Waikato-Tainui tribal executive chairman Tukoroirangi Morgan, who spoke to the Herald ahead of the forum, said he would be advising Hipkins to drop the use of the term altogether.

“Remove the label of co-governance and go back to the concept of mahi tahi, partnership, or working together,” Morgan said.

Morgan was recently confirmed as the chair of Three Waters’ Entity A or Waipuna aa rangi, which stretched from the Bombay Hills to the Far North.

Waikato-Tainui tribal executive chairman Tukoroirangi Morgan. Photo / Supplied

He believed co-governance was a “modern expression of partnership”, but negative rhetoric had infected debate on the issue.

“Everything that our people signed up to in the Treaty is being manifested in this co-governance.

“This debate on co-governance is full of contradictions because there are a whole number of models in this country that in their own way amplify partnership.”

The establishment of Kōhanga Reo was one example, and the establishment of charter schools or partnership schools - by the Act Party - was another. Both were funded by the Crown and allowed Māori to educate their children in their own way.

“Without the shared approach with the Crown, Kōhanga Reo would not have endured,” he said.

Charter schools were abolished by the current Government.

It comes as the Government commits to an investment of $3 million to support the Waitangi National Trust Board in the maintenance of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni, also Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister, said the Treaty Grounds were Northland’s “single greatest attraction” and deserved support.

“Cruise ships have started to return to the Bay of Islands, and visitor numbers are gradually starting to increase. Supporting the Trust will help them to make the most of the return of tourists and contribute to the Northland economy,” Sepuloni said.

Hipkins’ journey north to New Zealand’s birthplace was not entirely smooth, as bad weather forced his flight to Kerikeri to return to Auckland.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s office said the plane tried to land “a couple of times” at the Bay of Islands airport in Kerikeri. The plane stayed in the air, circling the airport a number of times, before a decision was made to fly back to Auckland.

It was understood Hipkins travelled to Waitangi by car last night.