DAVID SEYMOUR: NZ at a Constitutional Crossroad
- Administrator
- Sep 19, 2023
- 2 min read
New Zealand is at a constitutional crossroad. In one direction is liberal democracy. In the other is co-government; power-sharing between one ethnic group and all others. ACT will end co-government and restore universal human rights in New Zealand.
The current government is presenting New Zealanders with a false choice. It says that if we want to right the wrongs of the past, cherish Māori language and culture, and give all New Zealanders equal opportunity, then we must throw out universal human rights in favour of co-government.
We can ensure Māori language and culture are preserved, that every child has equal opportunity, and that the wrongs of the past are put right. Attributing separate rights through co-government will never achieve this, it only causes more division.
Just think, where will New Zealand be in 50 years’ time if the current path continues, where Kiwis are offered different rights based on their ancestry? ACT says that no matter who your grandparents are, you deserve the same rights and opportunities as everybody else.
There is nothing in any of the three Treaty articles that suggests Māori should have special rights above other New Zealanders. The Treaty itself guarantees that “all the ordinary people of New Zealand...have the same rights and duties of citizenship.” All New Zealanders have a basic human right to be treated equally under the law and with equal political worth. One person, one vote.
ACT would legislate that the principles of the Treaty are based on what the Treaty actually says, in contrast with recent revisionist interpretations of the Treaty’s principles, through a Treaty Principles Act and inviting citizens to ratify it.
The Labour-NZ First Government commissioned ‘He Puapua’, which has led to co-government being implemented across numerous areas of government. For example, healthcare is now being prioritised according to racial identity and not the actual needs of individual patients.
ACT would repeal recent laws that give different rights based on ethnicity, such as the Three Waters legislation, local government legislation, and elements of health legislation.
The public service is meant to serve all New Zealanders, but even administration and service delivery has become focussed on race. This isn’t a true focus on equity, serving citizens based on their measured need rather than their ancestry is.
ACT would reorientate the public service towards a focus on equal opportunity and need according to robust statistical evidence instead of racial targeting, along with devolution and choice for all. The government has access to data that can assess the risks and disadvantages faced by individual people and deliver services in a more targeted way, like the Ministry of Education’s Equity Index, it just isn’t using it properly.
ACT will fight for democracy. Our vision for New Zealand is in keeping with our liberal democratic traditions, commitment to universal human rights, and growing ethnic diversity. ACT will make sure New Zealand is a truly modern, multi-ethnic, liberal democracy.
ACT's leader, David Seymour delivered this address at the ACT Party campaign launch, Sunday Sept 17, at Auckland's Civic Theatre.
I do understand why many people are angry about the covid mandates.
They were a violation of our natural right to ownership of our own bodies, freedom and informed consent to medical treatments. The mandates indicate that we do not have inalienable rights. What we have regarded as rights are really privileges that are allowed or denied by the people that are temporarily in our government. Was this violation of our rights necessary or beneficial enough to justify it? That is the question that needs to be answered. The mandates were based 0n the belief in a worst case scenario in which hundreds of thousands of NZ people would become critically ill or die unless there were lockdowns, masks and mass "vaccination". They were also…
I must be simple: I cannot understand the wierd arguments and hatred below. David Seymour is always honest, polite and respectful, and I greatly respect him. I do not agree with everything he or other ACT leaders say, but ACT is our only hope for the future.
It's really hard to please some people. I guess after six years of indoctrination the brain stops thinking logically.
Previous comment: "Seymour is right on this, but he's still an arrogant hypocritical snake"
Compared to what we have just experienced with "Jacindamania," I would put David Seymour in the catorgory of saviour, rather than "totalitarian globalist."
If you take, for example, ten current political figures, I think David Seymour would be very close to the top.
We must remember, it's policies, not personalities, that will shape our future.
Wow I just read through a tone of comments and I can tell you now - we are screwed. Seems people are either dumb, lazy, don't care, or just don't know. Facts matter!! A vote for ACT, GREEN, MĀORI, LABOUR, NATIONAL IS A VOTE FOR THE WEF/WHO/UN - What the people of NZ want will no longer matter, as our NZ Policys will be at the beckandcall of these unelected Globalists. Seriously , the majority of you are helping bring about a Tyrannical Government :-( I salute you now from my grandchildren to you... its called a finger!