Winston Peters wants a "two-part referendum" on Maori seats

Acting Prime Minister and New Zealand Prime Minister Winston Peters calls for a two-part referendum on whether Maori seats should be established or should be completely abolished

Acting Prime Minister and New Zealand Prime Minister Winston Peters
VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox

Labor MP Rino Tirikatene's bill to trace the seven Maori seats was withdrawn from the polls May and will soon have his first reading in Parliament.

New Zealand First campaign on the holding of a binding referendum on the abolition of seats.

At the time, Labor leader Jacinda Ardern ruled out a referendum, saying it would break

M. Peters said that he still believed that the case should be submitted to the public.

"If you want to make changes to the electoral system, you should go to the country, not just do it unilaterally."

Rino Tirikatene, Labor MP
Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox

Under Tirikatene's bill, the seats would have the same protection In 1965, the Minister of Foreign Affairs questioned the government. effectiveness of the protection proposed in the bill of the deputy

"The enshrinement to 75% seems fine, until you can withdraw the provision of entrenchment with a call and you are again to 50. "

New Zealand First would not support the bill as it stands, Mr. Peters said, but would reconsider whether an amendment"

"If we put a SOP [Supplementary Order Paper] to a referendum, so everything will go ahead. "

" It is at this point that we put all our cards on the table. Should there be Maori seats and, if so, should they be removed?

"There should be a two-part referendum," he said.