Key points
- In the latest 1News poll, 46% of voters said racial tensions have worsened due to the coalition's policies, 37% believed it's made no difference, and 10% said tensions have reduced.
- National voters were more likely to think the Government was reducing tensions. Green and Labour supporters were more likely to say the coalition was raising them.
- ACT's leader, who has led to charge on the Treaty Principles Bill, said the numbers ultimately reflected how people perceived the previous government.
Only 10% of voters say the coalition government's policies are reducing racial tensions in New Zealand, according to a new 1News Verian poll.
In the poll, 46% said that the National-led government's policies were increasing racial tensions, while 37% said the coalition had made no real difference.
Of all respondents, 7% said they didn't know or preferred not to say.
People were asked whether they believed the Government’s policies were increasing, reducing or making no real difference to racial tensions.
National Party supporters were more likely than average to think the Government's policies were decreasing racial tensions.
Meanwhile, Green Party and Labour Party supporters, graduates, and Wellingtonians were more likely than average to say tensions were rising due to the coalition's policies.
Earlier this month, former prime minister Sir John Key suggested "everyone" needed to "take the temperature down" on the debate around race issues.
Since it took office at the end of last year, parts of the Government's policy agenda have triggered mass protests and waves of condemnation from Māori groups.
On Friday, the ACT Party's proposed Treaty Principles Bill was described as "little more than a politically motivated attack" and would "drastically alter" the meaning of New Zealand's founding document, the Waitangi Tribunal said in an interim report.
The tribunal said it was unfair, discriminatory, poorly designed and had been pursued "without any engagement or discussion with Māori”.
Seymour on race relations polling
Speaking to 1News, ACT leader David Seymour suggested the numbers were ultimately reflecting how people perceived the previous Labour government.
"We may be getting blamed because we're the ones making the change, but it's pretty clear that equal rights are the foundation for racial harmony. Division enforced by the government is actually the recipe for racial division," he said.
ACT leader David Seymour. (Source: 1News)
Seymour said the coalition was "restoring equal rights" on issues like Three Waters and the Māori Health Authority.
"The public are judging by what's happening right now. We're the ones making the changes, but the changes are to remove what caused the division," he said.
"It's a pretty messy area. But actually, I think if you ask, whose policies will lead to better racial harmony, in the long term, it is undoubtedly this government's approach of equal rights."
How does it compare to previous polls?
A 1News Verian poll in July 2023 found nearly half of Kiwis, around 47%, believed race relations were worsening. That poll question was worded differently to today’s, with no reference to government policy and was taken as the election campaign neared.
Then, respondents were asked: "Do you believe race relations are getting worse or better or staying about the same in New Zealand?"
Last year, only 14% said race relations were getting better, 35% believed it was about the same, while 4% said they either didn't know or didn't want to say.
Treaty Principles Bill remains divisive
The Treaty Principles Bill has been a flashpoint for criticism from Māori about the coalition Government. The Waitangi Tribunal's highly-anticipated findings on the legislaion were released following an urgent inquiry in May.
The proposed bill is aimed at redefining the Treaty principles using ACT's interpretation, which the Tribunal says would "re-write the Treaty". (Source: 1News)
Other coalition changes include changes to Treaty principles references in laws, the scrapping of the Māori Health Authority, removal of section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act, and changes to the way Government agencies use te reo.
National leader Christopher Luxon has ruled out his party supporting the Treaty Principles Bill beyond a first reading in Parliament, having said previously it has caused "tension".
Luxon's party agreed to bring the legislation to a first reading and select committee stage as part of its coalition deal with ACT.
The proposed bill would see the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi re-defined, a monumental shift in how the founding document would be interpreted legally.
It comes as ACT's bill on the matter sparks furious debate, deputy political editor Maiki Sherman reports. (Source: 1News)
Previously, ACT leader David Seymour said the public wanted to debate the Treaty principles - suggesting in Parliament there was "widespread" support for it.
The party wants to hold a referendum on a re-defined set of Treaty principles if the bill is successful.
On Friday, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer called on Luxon, as Prime Minister, to kill the legislation after the release of the Waitangi Tribunal's findings.
"Luxon can no longer hide behind his coalition partners. Either he has given full control of his government to David Seymour, or he is using the coalition agreement as an excuse to pursue his own anti-Māori agenda."
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