Prime Minister Christopher Luxon Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The prime minister not attending Waitangi Day would show he "has no balls and may be a drop-nuts", Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi says.
Waititi said Labour's claim it might be unsafe for the government to turn up to the Northland town - and other rhetoric suggesting Māori spaces are not safe - was unhelpful.
Christopher Luxon on Monday said he was yet to make a decision about attending, having received invitations from various iwi around the country.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said he hoped Luxon would front up, given the government policies affecting Māori including ACT's Treaty Principles Bill.
"When you're doing something that's controversial, that's upset a lot of people, it's more important than ever that you show up and talk about it," Hipkins said.
Labour's Willie Jackson agreed, but said he had also heard "off the grapevine that they're very worried about the safety of some of the MPs".
Willie Jackson in the House during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill on November 14. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
"I've picked that up ... I can understand why they would be worried, that's why they're probably taking their time in terms of whether they accept the invitation."
Pressed for details, Jackson said people were "still very very angry at this government. While 95 percent of people will be fine up there, you just never know so I can understand why there'd be some trepidation".
"Māori are angry, Māori are furious, and we saw that with the hīkoi, but at least it was a very peaceful hīkoi but if I was part of the government I'd be worried going up there too."
Jackson refused to say where this information had come from.
Waititi said comments like that were unhelpful.
"It's not helpful and I don't agree," he said. "I haven't heard anything like that."
"Here is the problem is that you've got people who continue to push the rhetoric that people are unsafe in Māori spaces. I can tell you what - we're unsafe going to the BP just to go and get a coffee just because we've got a racist Pākehā coming out and accosting us."
That was a reference to a police report the party filed for co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, saying a man at a Whanganui fuel station had yelled abusive slurs at her and saying she "deserves all that's coming to her".
Waititi said the government's policies had emboldened such attacks.
Rawiri Waititi said the prime minister must front up on Waitangi Day. Photo: RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell
"Divisive policies that this government has been an even embolden that type of behaviour. And I won't accept that people have a safety issue in Māori spaces any more.
"It was the same with our hīkoi, there was this huge police presence, we had the police minister come out and say people will be arrested for disorderly behaviour - Māori have been marching since 1972 when we brought the reo petition here, 1975 with the land march, even in 2004 with the foreshore and seabed: Māori know how to do a hīkoi."
Waititi said the prime minister not attending Waitangi would show "that he's got no balls and may be a drop-nuts in terms of facing the people. And I don't use those words lightly, I will stand by those. He just needs to front up."
RNZ has contacted the Prime Minister's Office for comment.
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka committed to going to Waitangi, but said the prime minister would decide his own plans.
"That's up to the prime minister to explain. I know I'll be there," he said.
"As you know, I'm pretty committed to the kaupapa, the whakapapa, and the kotahitanga that comes with Waitangi."
Potaka said he was certain Waitangi would deliver robust conversation next year, but noted the peaceful nature of the recent hīkoi to Parliament.
"There's a real sense of pride, whakahīhī you might call it, but also commitment to kaitiakitanga [guardianship] that many of the engagements have had.
"I was really enthused by the level of rangimārie or peacefulness at the hīkoi recently. That was absolutely outstanding and a credit to those people who led that."
Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the party would be attending Waitangi, and the prime minister should stand by his rhetoric.
"The prime minister has made quite a lot of noise about the fact that he stands in opposition ot the treaty principles bill and that he wants to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi so I think that all politicians who say those things should walk the talk."
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