National leader Christopher Luxon has addressed the controversial topic of co-governance, saying Labour had confused the term, after he was challenged to not be afraid of it at Rātana Pā.
Politicians arrived at Rātana today to celebrate the 150th birthday of movement founder Tahupotiki Wiremu Rātana . Thousands of followers were expected to descend upon the small Maori village near Whanganui for three days of celebration.
Luxon said he was enjoying his first visit to Rātana - a place he said you could “disagree without being disagreeable.”
He told reporters he had raised his views on co-governance in his speech because the Government had been “messy” in its own approach to co-governance.
Luxon said he had wanted to be clear that National did not agree with co-governance in public services, but did want Māori to achieve and get ahead. He did not believe co-governance in public services was the way to do that.
It was a “genuine privilege” to be there and he was proud of achievements previous National governments had achieved with Māori.
However, he acknowledged the party's last “poor election result” and not having as a diverse caucus as they should have.
National would demonstrate “kindness and care” by being great stewards of the economy and it was also focused on equality of opportunity and social investment, he said.
Despite Rātana being known for not focusing on politics, Luxon strongly criticised the Government in his speech, restating how he believed Labour was spending too much money and hiring too many bureaucrats. He believed the Government hadn’t been upfront with New Zealanders, prompting distrust in communities.
Referencing co-governance, which he has been told not to be afraid of, Luxon believed Labour had confused the term.
National opposed co-governance in the delivery of public services, such as health, education and critical infrastructure, he said, but it did not mean National did not want Māori involved in decision-making.
“By Māori, for Māori” could be within a coherent public service, he said.
Whānau ora, kohanga reo and charter schools were examples Luxon cited as good examples of self-driven initiatives by Māori communities.
Incoming Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni said she was not surprised Luxon’s first speech at Rātana was largely about co-governance, saying National likes to “rark up the tensions in the space with regards to racism”.
“It’s pretty predictable, it’s very divisive for New Zealanders and I think very irresponsible but not surprised by him doing that at all.”
Sepuloni believed it wasn’t the first time Luxon had made inappropriate comments at public events, recognising the theme of Rātana is to lean away from the politics.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will be farewelled at Rātana Pā later today in her last public outing as leader.
Last Thursday she delivered the bombshell news that she was resigning, along with setting the election date of October 14.
Ardern will attend Rātana Pā alongside new Labour leader and incoming Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and be accompanied by a raft of Labour MPs and ministers.
Te Pāti Māori first to arrive
Luxon was accompanied by a handful of National MPs, including deputy leader Nicola Willis and Māori MPs Harete Hipango, Dr Shane Reti and Tama Potaka at Rātana.
They were welcomed onto the site alongside a large Te Pāti Māori contingent, including co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi.
The once allies but current political opponents seen walking together raised a quip from Kingitanga spokesman Rahui Papa during his whaikōrero. He said it was interesting to see, given their recent comments about each other, the MPs walking “hand in hand - what a beautiful sight”.
Papa welcomed Luxon on his first visit while laying down a challenge for him to work more closely with Māori.
“We welcome you do not be afraid of governance. We welcome you to not be afraid of losing power.”
Te ao Māori had “real solutions”, he said.
“When rangatiratanga and kāwanatanga come together, beautiful things happens,” Papa said.
Waititi started off his response by stating that walking hand in hand with National would be “an arm wrestle”.
Rurawhe, a member of the Rātana Church and Speaker of the House, is tipped to go onto the party list, and was expected to make an announcement today.
Ngarewa-Packer said Labour’s traditional grip on Māori support through Rātana was not something that could be taken for granted.
Another right-leaning party, Act, was not attending.
The three-day Rātana religious festival began on Monday and culminates on the birthday of the church’s late founder, Tahupotiki Wiremu Rātana, on January 25.
Thousands of Mōrehu, followers, have descended on the small Māori village, from iwi across the country.
The middle or politicians day is often referred to as the start of the political year - especially in an election year - where promises are made, tones set, and Māori from across the country make clear their views.
The Rātana movement is a church and pan-iwi political movement founded by Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana in 1925. It has historic links to the Labour Party after its founding prophet formed an alliance with former Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage in 1936.
That alliance has been challenged by parties such as Te Pāti Māori, but has stood the test of time.
The church has about 50,000 followers.
