Te Pāti Māori condemns the Government’s escalating assault on tangata whenua, following the letter sent by Regulations Minister David Seymour to the United Nations and Prime Minister Luxon’s weak attempt to distance himself while still endorsing its dangerous intent.

“This Government is setting fire to Māori rights through regressive, colonial legislation. Seymour’s letter is not a rogue move, it’s a warning shot, signalling this Government’s intent to dismantle Indigenous rights” said Te Pāti Māori Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“The real threat isn’t his tantrum, it’s the policy machine behind it, backed by every party in this coalition.”

The Prime Minister has now said publicly that “we’ve all read the letter, and we all think it’s a waste of time” effectively agreeing with Seymour’s withdrawn rant. That statement has already been reported back to the United Nations as the formal position of the New Zealand Prime Minister.

“It’s a complete diplomatic failure” said Te Pāti Māori Co-leader Rawiri Waititi.

“Winston Peters is trying to reassure international partners, but he’s being publicly undermined by his own Prime Minister. If all Ministers think the UN’s concerns are ‘bunkum’, then Peters’ response is meaningless and Aotearoa’s credibility on the world stage is in tatters.”

Earlier this year, Māori rights violations were raised during the UN’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process. The Government’s actions are not just bad policy they are breaches of international human rights standards.

“In 2010, it was a National Government that endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). That wasn’t a diplomatic accident it was a formal recognition of our rights as tangata whenua” said Waititi.

“Now, this coalition is dismantling that legacy while the world watches. This is global embarrassment for the government stating the United Nations is a waste of time.”

“As Māori rights come under attack at home, we need the protections promised in UNDRIP more than ever” concluded Ngarewa-Packer.

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