New Zealand First has scuppered Labour's bid to give Ngāi Tahu permanent seats on the Canterbury Regional Council, saying its special treatment for Māori. Shane Jones acknowledged the party's long-held position against separate seats for Māori on local body councils.

A bill seeking to entrench the Māori seats into New Zealand electoral law – requiring a 75 per cent majority of Parliament to get rid of them - has passed its first reading in Parliament with the support of New Zealand First. See news report HERE.

Before the election, Winston Peters promised that if his party entered Government we would have a referendum to abolish the Māori seats. He needs to keep this promise.

NZ First’s current initiative to amend Labour’s bill on entrenching the seats is likely too far-fetched to succeed. We need stronger action: Winston Peters has the power to demand a referendum on Māori seats as a condition of NZ First’s continued support of the coalition.

Please sign the petition below to send Mr Peters a clear message that he needs to keep his promise on Māori seats.

We have seen the success of petitions and referendums in blocking race-based seats at the local level. Now we can end this distortion of democracy in Parliament.