“This election, voters are being presented with two starkly contrasting sets of values. One openly admits that Māori have separate rights, while the other says that New Zealand is made up of hundreds of cultures, all of which are entitled to the same rights and duties. Today’s poll in The Post shows that most Kiwis support ACT’s proposal to finally have a say on co-governance,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.
“The Post’s poll shows 48 per cent of respondents want to vote in ACT’s referendum, while only 17 per cent disagree.
“ACT proposed a referendum in March 2022. Across hundreds of public meetings, we had heard from Kiwis who were sick of being divided by race. No one asked them if they wanted this division, the Government decided for them and has been forcing it upon almost every aspect of society since.
“Parliament never voted for New Zealand to sign up to UNDRIP, beyond a Ministerial Statement in 2010 that only ACT spoke against. It is not a binding document, merely a declaration, that should be ignored.
“No society in history has succeeded by having different political rights based on birth. Many New Zealanders came here to escape class and caste and apartheid.
“All of the good political movements of the past four hundred years have been about ending discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex and sexuality to treat each person with the same dignity. We are the first country in history that’s achieved equal rights and has division as its official policy. It’s nuts.
“We cannot afford to continue dividing ourselves along superficial lines. We must celebrate the common humanity that unites all people and stop seeking ways to divide us with group rights and collective identity.
“We must appreciate cultures and celebrate people’s differences without offering them different sets of rights based on factors beyond their control. Where will New Zealand be in 50 years’ time if the current path continues, where Kiwis are offered different rights based on their ancestry?
“A Party Vote for ACT is the only option this election for people who want a Government which treats all Kiwis as equals.”