OPINION:
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Welcome to the Politics Briefing in what has been a sensational week, not least because Parliament is finally up and running.
First we got to see the best maiden speech by a new MP – in my memory, anyway. James Meager’s speech was a show-stopper. It wove together his own family story with his political philosophy in quite an affecting and uplifting way. It also helped to lift the fog that has sat over the Government since it was formed.
Meager, the MP for Rangitata, clearly has a big future, although that has been jinxed by so many people already suggesting he could be the first Māori Prime Minister – something that plagued Winston Peters’ early career in National. As a new MP, his skills will be challenged as chair of the justice committee.
The previous day, we got to see the first coordinated Māori response to the coalition Government’s Māori policy agenda.
Protests around the country on Tuesday organised by Te Pāti Māori were followed by the calling of a national hui at Turangawaewae in January by King Tuheitia.
Its purpose appears to be to unify Māori, according to the Kingitanga notice, not to reconcile supporters and opponents of the Government policy. “The purpose of this national hui is for Te Iwi Māori to gather in our place, with our tikanga, to kōrero and wānanga our future,” the Kingitanga notice said. “All are welcome to this meeting – it will be a safe place where the many voices of Te Iwi Māori can come together: tamariki, rangatahi, pakeke and kaumātua.”
How that plays out in Christopher Luxon’s first visit to Rātana and Waitangi as Prime Minister is a big question. There is a reasonable amount of goodwill towards him at present and he towards Māori from my reading, although it may be temporary.
There was some premature celebration on social media yesterday from an ambiguous comment Luxon made in Parliament in answer to Te Pāti Māori’s Takuta Ferris about leaving the door open to a referendum on Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Luxon: “On what we have agreed as a Government, that we will pursue a Treaty principles bill to select committee, and that’s as far as it will go.”
Some assumed that was Luxon saying the Act bill defining the principles would go no further than the select committee. But there’s another meaning. Luxon almost certainly meant that there was an agreement to send the bill to select committee and the agreement goes no further than that.
It is also 99.9 per cent likely that there won’t be a referendum because it won’t get support. But Luxon was not saying that.
Another reason it was a great week is because Winston Peters shifted his focus to his Foreign Affairs portfolio – the third time he has held the portfolio. He led a parliamentary debate yesterday on New Zealand’s position on Gaza and, among other things, called on “all parties involved in the conflict, as well as countries with influence in the region, to take urgent steps towards establishing a ceasefire”.
That, by the way, is not New Zealand calling for a ceasefire.
Fran O’Sullivan was a guest on the Herald’s Front Page podcast about Peters’ performance in Foreign Affairs, which is summarised below.
Meanwhile, The Commissioner of Police, Andrew Coster, finally has the confidence of Police Minister Mark Mitchell, and the Human Rights Commissioner, Paul Hunt, appears not to have the confidence of Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith, who is on the lookout for a new one.
“Act will stop calling the Human Rights Commission a group of left-wing activists masquerading as neutral public servants when it stops hiring left-wing activists to masquerade as neutral public servants” - Act leader David Seymour.
Which three Governors-General in New Zealand preceded Dame Cindy Kiro? (answer below.)
Goes to Health Minister Shane Reti, who delegated responsibility for the biggest current issue in Health, Smokefree policy, to brand new MP and NZ First associate minister Casey Costello before yesterday’s first Question Time. Eventually? Sure, but she hasn’t even had her maiden speech.
Former Health Minister Ayesha Verrall, who nonetheless targeted Reti, not Costello, by asking about his delegation of the policy to the junior minister.
Workplace law: The new Government’s attempt to give businesses certainty around the employment status of contractors appears to have backfired.
Strong debut: National MP James Meager, elected by the Rangitata electorate, has delivered a boldly personal maiden statement in the House.
Israel-Hamas war: A senior Labour MP has accused Israel of carrying out genocide in Gaza during a heated Parliamentary debate regarding Government support for a ceasefire.
Treaty referendum: In his first Question Time as Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon said his new Government has not committed to a referendum on the Treaty principles bill.
Transport blowout: The former Labour Government’s own officials warned that its transport plan was substantially unfunded and undeliverable.
First Parliamentary debate: Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters delivered a diatribe in his first speech back in Parliament, taking aim at Te Pāti Māori, the media and those who counted his party out.
Quiz answer: Dame Patsy Reddy (2016 – 2021), Sir Gerry Mateparae (2011 – 2016), and Sir Anand Satyanand (2006 – 2011).
Audrey Young is the New Zealand Herald’s senior political correspondent. She was named Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards in 2023, 2020 and 2018.
For more political news and views, listen to On the Tiles, the Herald’s politics podcast.
Expectations tempered around return to surplus in 2027/28.