A question to Chris Luxon

 

Democracy Northland has asked Chris Luxon, the leader of the National Party, the following question:

Should your party be in a position to do so after the October election, would it reinstate sections 19ZA to 19ZG of the Local Electoral Act 2001?

 By way of background, those sections were repealed by section 7 of the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021

The effect was to remove the right of electors (the people) to petition their local council to force a binding referendum about the introduction of Maori wards/constituencies. The Labour Party (Nanaia Mahuta as the then Minister of Local Government) removed that right retrospectively.   

Here is Chris Luxon's reply:

Kia ora Frank

Thank you for writing to Christopher Luxon. He appreciates people taking the time to share their feedback, concerns and ideas. 

The National Party opposes the co-governance of public services.

New Zealand is a modern, multicultural society built on proud bicultural foundations. National believes in inclusiveness, unity and equality for all New Zealanders – and equality for all citizens under the law. We believe in one standard of democracy for all – one person, one vote.

Past local co-governance arrangements that were made in the context of Treaty settlements have worked well. These were restricted to the management of local natural resources, like rivers, by local iwi working closely with local or central government. This is consistent with National’s strong view that devolution and localism works better than centralisation and bureaucracy. 

However, we do not support the co-governance of nation-wide public services. National’s view is that when it comes to public services like education, justice and healthcare, we are one country and should have a single system – not two – that targets people on the basis of need, not ethnicity, to secure better outcomes. More bureaucracy is not the way to secure the better outcomes New Zealanders so desperately need.

National will not support the co-governance of public services in government, as it is our strong view that it would be inconsistent with our modern liberal democracy. The way we can best arrest negative indicators and statistics is by ruthlessly focusing on getting better results and targeting support to the people and families who need it the most.

We firmly believe in ‘one person, one vote’ and this principle will continue to be at the heart of our policies for the upcoming election.

Thank you once again for taking the time to write – it is very much appreciated.

Ngā mihi nui

Sonya Ford

Correspondence Unit

National Leader’s Office

And here is our response (cc Shane Reti):

Hi Sonya

Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, it does not address the question at all.

 Can you pass it onto someone who can answer it please...

 The question is:

Should your party be in a position to do so after the October election, would it reinstate sections 19ZA to 19ZG of the Local Electoral Act 2001?

 By way of background, those sections were repealed by section 7 of the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021.

 Thank you

Frank

 And the response to my response:

Kia ora Frank,

Thank you for your follow up email, I’m sorry I did not fully answer your questions.

As Leader of the Opposition, Christopher relies on his colleagues to respond on his behalf to specific matters relating to their portfolios. As such, I have forwarded on your correspondence to National’s spokesperson for Justice, Paul Goldsmith and his team, for their response.

Thank you once again for taking the time to write; it is very much appreciated.

Ngā mihi nui

Sonya Ford

Correspondence Unit

National Leader’s Office

Update

No reply has been received from Paul Goldsmith.

However, 1News question Christopher Luxon on this issue. This was his reply:

Today, when asked about ACT’s policy, National leader Christopher Luxon said his party’s position was that New Zealand was “one country” and a democracy with one person, one vote.

“We’ve opposed [Labour’s law change] through the course of the last Parliament. We don’t believe that that’s fair or democratic.”

The law change he was referring to was the 2021 stripping of a provision which allowed communities to veto Māori wards in a vote.

Asked for clarification, if that meant Māori wards would be repealed under a National government, he said: “That’s been our view and our position”.

The 1News article may be seen here >>>