Pita Tipene: Waitangi National Trust chair 'disappointed' by Luxon opting out of celebrations at Treaty Grounds

A Northland Maori leader says Waitangi Day could be more volatile than ever. 

Prime Minister Chris Luxon's decided against attending celebrations at the Treaty Grounds. 

He says he'll join events in other parts of the country - and is expected to send ministers in his place.

Luxon and the coalition have faced mounting pressure over ACT's Treaty Principles Bill.

Waitangi National Trust chair Pita Tipene says he's wondering where else Luxon could rather be. 

"Any Waitangi Day is a cauldron - let alone what's going to happen next year, given the Treaty Principles Bill and everything else that's going on."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Prime Minister's chosen not to go to White Tanngi
on Whiteitangi Day. In a statement, Luxen has said he's
going to join New Zealand is celebrating the day in
other regions. The last time this happened was in twenty seventeen,
when then Prime Minister Sir Bill English chose not to
attend Peta Tippani as chairman of the White Tangi National Trust.
Cider Pita Kida ran, how did you find out about this?

Speaker 2 (00:22):
I found out when the Prime Minister called me earlier
this afternoon.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
What do you say?

Speaker 2 (00:28):
He said? Unfortunately, I won't be at Waititanngy twenty twenty
five and I will be elsewhere in the country because
I've received invitations from other EWE leaders and so I've
committed myself to going to those places.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
Fair enough and share the love. I guess.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
A no, not from mo perspectives. So being the chairman
of the Waitungi National Trust, which is a national trust,
and our job being Koichiaki all guardians of not only
the physical environment way the treaty grounds, but what it
represents in terms of our niaghtionhood. So where else would
you want to be or would you need to be

(01:10):
to remember and respect those who have fallen at Gettysburg.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Well that yeah, look you make a good point there.
What about these claims from you know, Rwity yet says
the Prime Minister is quote drop nuts because he's not
going to White Tangy because he might get beaten up
or there might be you know, Willie Jackson has suggested
he could have got himself into some physical harm. Is
that true? Are you buying any of that?

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Oh? Look, any White Toy day as a cauldron, let alone.
What's going to happen next year? Give him the Treaty
Principles Bill and everything else that's going on, it will
be potentially more volatile than it ever will has been.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
So can you understand him not wanting to be there
if it's going to get physical?

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Oh look, I can totally understand that. But what we
at the Waiting National Trust do most is to ensure
everybody's safety. And in fact, when we talk about the
Prime Minister, we are merely upholding our tik or our customs,
which means that we will welcome all all people of
whatever political stripe and whatever opinion that includes the Prime Minister.

(02:19):
So we want to know or want people to know
that they are welcome and we will do our utmost
to ensure their safety. That might be difficult at times,
but we'll do our damn our dundest.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
All right, Peter, thank you very much for that. Peter
Tippani is the chairman of the White Tangi National Trusts.
Christopher Luxan not going to White Tangi next year.

Speaker 2 (02:43):
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