Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti moving through Hastings on the weekend. Photo: RNZ / Pokere Paewai
Lady Tureiti Moxon, who is managing director of Te Kōhao Health in Waikato, says even though National won't support the Treaty Principles Bill beyond its early stages, it sends the wrong message to Māori.
"It's a strong message to Māori you don't matter ... That kind of attitude and it's wrong."
She accused its principal sponsor, David Seymour, of taking a simplistic approach to 50 years of legal interpretations of the Treaty without any consultation with the Treaty partner.
"This is about what is good for the Crown, what is good for them to retain power, to retain sovereignity to retain all those things that keep us down."
She says Māori are now much more educated about what Te Tiriti means, and how important it is and she finds it "heartening" so many are opposing it.
Meanwhile, the Māori Queen, Nga wai hono i te po, will join the national hīkoi to Parliament on Tuesday, saying she will not accept a process which undermines Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Thousands of supporters of the hīkoi are having a rest day on Monday before heading to Wellington and Parliament on Tuesday.
Follow the latest updates with RNZ's liveblog:
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
