Overview

• The Treaty Principles Bill, proposed by ACT Party leader David Seymour, sought to redefine the Treaty of Waitangi and was decisively voted down in its second reading.
• The bill faced massive public opposition, including New Zealand's largest-ever protest on Māori rights and 300,000 public submissions, 90% of which opposed it.
• Key coalition partners, National and New Zealand First, withdrew support after the first reading, leaving ACT as the sole party backing the bill in the final vote.
• Critics argued the bill would undermine long-standing legal protections for Māori, while proponents claimed it aimed to ensure equal rights for all New Zealanders.
• Despite the defeat, Seymour signaled plans to revisit the issue through future political strategies, including a potential referendum.