David Seymour stands firm on Treaty bill despite opposition

ACT Party Leader David Seymour remains undeterred in his support for the Treaty Principles Bill.

This is despite a Justice Select Committee report revealing that 90 per cent of public submissions oppose the bill, and coalition partners National and New Zealand First have confirmed they will not support it during the second reading on Thursday.

Speaking on Pacific Mornings, Seymour insists that the bill, which aims to define Treaty principles in law, represents “the start of a journey” rather than its conclusion.

“People need to ask themselves, what are the good arguments that have been put up against the principles I’ve proposed?” Seymour says.

“That the Parliament has the full right to make laws, that the Government should uphold the rights and the taonga of all New Zealanders, including Māori, and that we should all be treated equally before the law?”

The Select Committee process received over 300,000 submissions, the highest in New Zealand’s history.

Many respondents contend that Seymour’s framing of equality undermines the Treaty of Waitangi’s commitment to partnership and addressing historic grievances.

But Seymour maintains that he will not regard these submissions as a reflection of public opinion, citing the example of the End of Life Choice Act, which passed via referendum despite facing similar opposition in submissions.

“People that submit to select committees usually submit because they're opposed to something,” he says. “When you ask New Zealanders as a whole in scientific polling, [these ideas] are supported by a ratio of around two to one.”

Hana Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke tears up the Treaty Principles Bill and leads a haka in protest at the government’s willingness to table it. (Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone)

No threat to coalition stability

Despite the bill’s likely failure at the second reading, Seymour rules out leaving the coalition agreement over this issue.

“The coalition agreement’s been fulfilled,” he says. “I still hope that my partners will find the courage to support something that most New Zealanders do actually want... but it’s not easy doing these debates.”

He argues that many New Zealanders, regardless of their ancestry or the time of their arrival in the country, should enjoy equal rights.

Silent supporters and a culture of intolerance

Seymour also expresses concerns about a growing culture of intolerance, particularly among younger people, which he believes discourages open support for ACT or the bill.

“If you have a different view, you can be ostracised quite viciously. That’s a real shame because one thing a country needs is a culture of openness and separating the ideas from the person.”

He believes there are “hundreds of thousands” of ACT supporters who may not publicly express their views but still back the principles behind the bill.

The bill will have its second reading this Thursday at 3pm NZT. Photo/David Seymour Facebook.

Seymour’s legacy: “Promoting human flourishing”

When discussing his political legacy, Seymour says his goal is to foster a New Zealand where everyone can succeed without being held back by excessive bureaucracy or historical injustices.

“I don’t believe that something that happened 200 years ago should decide what your prospects are today,” he says.

He cites his advocacy for charter schools, housing reform, and market-based policies as efforts to promote opportunity and dismantle barriers to individual success.

Ministry for Regulation delivers early results

As Minister for Regulation, Seymour highlights achievements in reducing red tape within the agriculture and horticulture sectors, with early childhood education next on the agenda.

He says an upcoming Regulatory Standards Bill will impose stricter limits on government overreach.

“There’s also a lot of really little things where they’ve got involved and talked to other ministries and said, hey, this rule doesn’t make sense, can you change it? It all adds up to creating a New Zealand with less red tape.”

Watch David Seymour's full interview below.

Trump’s tariffs: ‘It’s just a spiral’

On the topic of US tariffs under President Donald Trump, Seymour warns of potential global consequences and rising prices, although he concedes that New Zealand exporters might see short-term benefits.

As a proponent of free trade, he argues that increasing tariffs generally results in higher costs.

“I mean, it's just a spiral. It's not up to me to say what the Americans should be doing… But I think the consequences for the world are quite bad.”

Still, Seymour acknowledges that New Zealand could benefit if its exports become comparatively cheaper in the American market, as surplus global goods shift to countries like New Zealand.

“You might see deflation for New Zealand because a lot of cheap things the Americans no longer want to buy are available to us. So, look, it may not be all bad in the short term. But as a principle, it's not the right way to do policy.”