Shipley warns Seymour’s bill is ‘inviting civil war’

The Kākā by Bernard Hickey

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Shipley warns Seymour’s bill is ‘inviting civil war’

Former PM voices fears of many within National that Seymour’s Treaty Principles bill is trying to rewite Te Tiriti and risks pushing nation towards ‘civil war’; Xi warns Luxon against joining AUKUS

Nov 17, 2024

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Transcript

The divisive Treaty Principles Bill is not just a risk for the National Party, it’s a risk to civil order and unity, warns a National Party grandee. Photo: Getty Images

Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, November 18:

The News: PM Christopher Luxon met President Xi Jinping for the first time over the weekend on the fringes of the APEC summit in Peru and said Xi had warned him against joining AUKUS, but Luxon said Xi’s view on any trade impacts ‘wasn’t a consideration’ in the decision. RNZ
In my view: Former PM Jenny Shipley speaks for many in the National party worried that David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill now before Parliament risks ‘inviting civil war.’ RNZ
Scoop: Health NZ’s abrupt cancellation of a major IT upgrade to save money meant just one of its 15 service improvements planned was completed, RNZ’s Phil Pennington reports for RNZ from official documents.
Deep-dive: Budget cuts are deepening the damage from existing injustices and poverty, The Sunday Star Times’ Sapeer Mayron reports.
Solutions: A bowel cancer screening programme in Northland picks up 89 cases. RNZ
Editorial Opinion: Helmut Modlik describes what the Treaty Principles bill would do to our constitutional arrangements.

(There is more detail, analysis and links to documents below the paywall fold and in the podcast above for paying subscribers. If we get over 100 likes we’ll open it up for public reading, listening and sharing.)

1. The News: Xi warns Luxon over Aukus

PM Christopher Luxon met President Xi Jinping for the first time in Peru on the fringes of APEC over the weekend. Luxon said Xi expressed concern about New Zealand joining AUKUS, but the PM said any effects on trade with NZ’s largest trading partner ‘was not a consideration’

Trade & security: Xi tells Luxon China is a partner, not a threat during face-to-face meeting RNZ’s Jo Moir

News elsewhere:

Housing: Number of emergency housing applications denied rises RNZ’s Susan Edmunds

2. In my view: A National Party grandee speaks

In my view, there’s clearly some very concerned senior figures in the National Party ahead of the arrival of 30,000 protestors at Parliament in Tuesday’s Hikoi, including Chris Finlayson last week and Jenny Shipley in an interview on RNZ’s Saturday morning.

Here’s the gist of her comments:

“The voice of Māori, that reminds us that this was an agreement, a contract - and you do not rip up a contract and then just say, 'Well, I'm happy to rewrite it on my terms, but you don't count.'
"I would raise my voice. I'm proud that the National Party has said they will not be supporting this, because you cannot speak out of both sides of your mouth.
"And I think any voice that's raised, and there are many people - pākeha and Māori who are not necessarily on this hikoi - who believe that a relationship is something you keep working at. You don't just throw it in the bin and then try and rewrite it as it suits you." Former National PM Jenny Shipley via RNZ

But her most pointed comments were around the rising chances of conflict:

Dame Jenny said past attempts to codify Treaty principles in law had failed.
"While there have been principles leaked into individual statutes, we have never attempted to - in a formal sense - put principles in or over top of the Treaty as a collective. And I caution New Zealand - the minute you put the Treaty into a political framework in its totality, you are inviting civil war.
"I would fight against it. Māori have every reason to fight against it.
"This is a relationship we committed to where we would try and find a way to govern forward. We would respect each other's land and interests rights, and we would try and be citizens together - and actually, we are making outstanding progress, and this sort of malicious,politically motivated, fundraising-motivated attempt to politicise the Treaty in a new way should raise people's voices, because it is not in New Zealand's immediate interest.
"And you people should be careful what they wish for. If people polarise, we will finish up in a dangerous position. The Treaty is a gift to us to invite us to work together. And look, we've been highly successful in doing that, despite the odd ruction on the way." Jenny Shipley via RNZ

The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, November 18

Electricity & climate & poverty: The Government announced its review of the electricity market would look into investment and access to capital, market rules and competition. Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones said regulatory settings must ensure the gentailers put New Zealanders' interests first. NZ Herald
Transport: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced Fulton Hogan would start building the SH1 Papakura to Drury project early next year. Brown said the road expansion will serve up to 40,000 new homes in Pukekohe, Drury, Paerata, and Takanini over the next 30 years.
Economy & manufacturing: BNZ and BusinessNZ PMI survey data showed NZ's manufacturing sector has been contracting for 20 consecutive months, with activity dropping to its lowest level since July. BNZ economist Doug Steel said businesses’ improved expectations had been let down by current conditions.
Trade & economy: NZ signed the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability with Costa, Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland, a trade deal to remove tariffs on 300 substainable goods, reduce or remove fossil fuel subsidies, and institute voluntary eco-labelling guidelines. Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said the removal of tariffs on 45 wood and wool products will benefit NZ exporters. RNZ
Conservation: Te Papa Atawhai the Department of Conservation called for feedback on proposed modifications to NZ's conservation system, including charging for access to some areas and "reducing red tape" to facilitate access to conservation land for tourist businesses and researchers. Forest and Bird said it was concerned some of the proposals could lead to the sale of conservation land; the Environmental Defence Society said the charging system needs to be affordable for NZers. RNZ
Infrastructure: Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop appointed Taumata Arowai chair Raveen Jaduram as Chair of the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission Board. Jaduram was previously Chief Executive of Watercare Services, and managing director of Australian private water company Murrumbidgee Irrigation.