This article was first published by NZME.
Former National Party leader Sir John Key has called on people to “take the temperature down a wee bit” in the debate around race issues, saying it is an area any government needs to “tread carefully” in.
Speaking to the NZ Herald at the National Party conference on Saturday, Key delivered his verdict on how the coalition partners were holding up and National’s chances of lifting in the polls.
He also spoke about tensions around Māori issues after moves such as Act’s Treaty Principles Bill, the removal of section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act and National’s move to overrule a court decision on the Marine and Coastal Area Act.
He said many of the issues were not of National’s making, such as Act’s Treaty Principles Bill which Prime Minister Luxon has ruled out supporting beyond the first reading, but it was something the government had to deal with.
“The important thing is that we’re all New Zealanders and I think everybody wants to live in a place where we can respect one another, get along well and foster a better New Zealand. So I’d kind of encourage everyone to maybe take the temperature down a wee bit.”
He said it was important people kept talking to each other, referencing last week’s walkouts by some iwi leaders from talks with Luxon in protest over government actions. “That’s not the right answer either.
“You should always treat race issues carefully because in the end, we all want to live in a harmonious society, and Māori are the indigenous population of New Zealand and Treaty partners. So you have to treat them with respect and carefully, I think.”
There are no specific sessions on Māori issues at the conference itself.
Luxon will deliver his keynote speech today, in which an announcement is expected.
Key gave his verdict on the state of the National Party today – four years after he tore strips off the party’s MPs for leaking and ill-discipline following the disastrous 2020 election. He said the caucus today seemed very united “and they deserve credit for actually listening to what I said”.
“The main message would be that it’s always about discipline and it’s always about delivery. You’ve got to remember that we work for the voters as MPs and as a Government.”
Key – who once ruled out working with NZ First in government – said the coalition partners deserved credit for how well they had worked together so far. He said there had been “a bit of a sense” that it might be impossible for Act leader David Seymour and NZ First’s Winston Peters to work together, let alone with Luxon. “And I think they’ve proven they can. They’re effective and they seem to be actually enjoying it.”
“It’s never easy to work together, you’re trying to do two or three things at one time. One is to stay true to your own values, secondly, to speak to your own voters. But thirdly, tie up a marriage of three parties together.”
The party has set a goal of climbing back to the mid-40s in the polls, after sticking at about 38% since the election.
Key – who is close to Luxon – said it was not unusual for the polls to be static at this stage of the electoral cycle but he was confident that was doable “but a lot of it will come down to the economy turning around and people feeling more positive.”
Asked why he thought National had not got a post-election poll boost, he said polls taken at this point were more a reflection on how people were feeling about the economy than who they would vote for. “The voters who voted for us are feeling very enthused that they’ve finally got someone to sort the mess out, I think the others are going to take a little bit more time.
“And I think the government and the Prime Minister is giving the party the best chance we can to get those bigger numbers by demonstrating they’ve got a plan, they can execute the plan and they’re focused.”
At the conference on Saturday, Finance Minister Nicola Willis spoke, assuring delegates that there were “green shoots” of an economic recovery and expressing again her hope that slowing inflation would soon lead to interest rate cuts.
Health Minister Shane Reti touched briefly on the financial issues affecting Health NZ and his move to appoint a Commissioner and sack the board. He then gave an update on progress towards the Government’s health targets, saying there were some early signs of improvements in surgical and specialist waiting times.
Party president Sylvia Wood also set out a new initiative to try to boost the involvement of women in the party – from membership drives to mentoring for promising women candidates.
- NZME