The chief executive of Ngāti Toa agrees with ACT leader David Seymour that a national debate is needed on the place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi - the Treaty of Waitangi - in modern Aotearoa - but says it needs to be a two-way discussion.
Helmut Modlik said since the last election Māori have had to endure a unilateral imposition of ideas from politicians rather than a mutual debate.
He will take on ACT Party leader David Seymour in a public debate about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its role in the 21st century, next Tuesday from 8 pm.
Modlik said he was responding directly to Seymour’s claim that the Treaty Principles Bill is a topic that needed debate and discussion.
“I actually agree with [Seymour] that it is a topic of importance to our community and society, so I’ve basically responded to it because the question really asks well where is this debate going to happen? And who’s going to participate?
“So I just thought it would be a useful addition to that range of conversations that will no doubt play out in our community.”
ACT continued to advance the Treaty Principles Bill despite opposition from all other parties because they expected it would be to their political advantage, he said.
“David and ACT believe the issue in question, their framing of it, their communication of it and their pursuit of it will provide them with political capital, political support, to continue to grow their still limited support base in the New Zealand electorate.”
Even so, Modlik said the nature of the debate over Te Tiriti had come a long way over his lifetime.
“When [I was] young nobody talked about Te Tiriti o Waitangi - there was no platform ... it was a part of our deep dark historical past.”
Modlik said the debate over the Treaty principles was just another step in New Zealand’s journey of truth and reconciliation.
He was not surprised there had been a pushback against Te Tiriti after an increase in visibility and prominence over the last few years.
“I expected there to be an Anglo-Saxon kickback, well, it’s come. This coalition are the champions of that preference so, all right, let’s talk.”
The debate will be hosted by political commentators Martyn Bradbury and Damien Grant, it will be live-streamed across a variety of channels.