Act Party leader David Seymour. Photo / Paul Taylor
Act Party leader David Seymour. Photo / Paul Taylor
Act Party leader David Seymour says he knows what’s best for Māori when it comes to democracy.
He says Act will restore one person, one vote in local government by scrapping Māori wards, which are voted for by people on the Māori electoral roll.
He calls it race-based representation, andsays many Māori don’t like it too.
“If you talk to a lot of people who are Māori, they will say ‘I don’t like someone from another hapū ending up representing me - I resent that.’ If you look at what is best for people right across the ethnic spectrum, it is actually to live in a democracy where you have one person, one vote,” Seymour told Waatea News.Com.
“I know what’s best for people based on what’s worked throughout history, that is liberal democracy with one person one vote, universal human rights and if it’s best for all people then I guess it’s be best for Māori too.”
National Party leader Christopher Luxon told Radio Waatea his party will remove the 2021 amendment which removed the ability to force a referendum which could overturn a council’s decision to create Māori wards.
