ACT leader Richard Prebble outside the Auckland High Court with his wife Noreen following a hearing where former ACT MP Donna Awatere Huata (not in attendence) made a bid to prevent her being expelled from Parliament. Photo: Getty / Phil Walter
The Prime Minister says he would expect someone "taking on a directorship job" to do some "due diligence" and "know what you're signing up for", following Richard Prebble's resignation from the Waitangi Tribunal.
The former ACT leader said he had become increasingly alarmed at the Tribunal's decisions, and disagreed with a strategic document which sets out a view the Treaty guarantees equality - claiming he'd only been given the document after he'd started in the role.
Christopher Luxon was asked about the resignation and said that's "ultimately a decision for him," but indicated he would have expected Prebble to do his research.
"I would have thought if you're taking on a directorship job, you'd actually do some due diligence before and know what you're signing up for."
Tribunal chair Caren Fox said Prebble's resignation letter said his decision was made after reading the findings of the Tribunal's various decisions "in several reports published before his appointment as a member".
"I expect all members to undertake their own due diligence, to read reports, and understand the vision, mission and purpose of the Waitangi Tribunal before accepting appointment," she wrote.
Luxon reiterated the coalition's position to consider the "mandate of the Waitangi Tribunal," in terms of where it's going in a "post-Treaty settlement world."
The Prime Minister says he expects members undertake their own due diligence. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said it was his view that people who accept positions onto boards and tribunal's "they've undertaken the diligence and they've committed to those positions".
He said he'd accepted the resignation and wished him well, but said it was "a bit of a surprise and naturally a little bit disappointing that Richard's taken leave".
Potaka rejected that it was wrong to appoint him in the first place.
"We went through the process and Richard put his hand up to be included and inducted onto the Tribunal."
When asked if he was the right person to be appointed, Potaka said "Richard has his own views. We went through a process, we appointed a wide range and diverse group of people to be on the Tribunal and I wish him well."
'A political stunt'
Labour's Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson has hit out at the resignation, saying it's a "premeditated strategy from the ACT party," and his reasons for resignation are a "load of rubbish".
"I think it was a stunt from the start."
He said the strategy was for Prebble to get onto the Tribunal then start "rubbishing the Tribunal".
Jackson said Prebble's views about the Tribunal were "well-known," and believed he should never have been appointed.
Willie Jackson believes it was a stunt. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
"ACT gets more publicity from someone like Prebble, who is a former minister. This is just, in my view, a political stunt, promoting again ACT philosophy.
"I think it's a shameful act this government has fallen for, that the Minister of Māori Development has fallen for, and the prime minister."
Jackson ridiculed Prebble's accusations that Judge Caren Fox, professor Linda Smith and professor David Williams are "socialists, and communists".
"These are some of the most learned people, who were appointed - many of them - by the National Party."
Jackson said a "sensible" Tama Potaka would never have appointed Prebble.
ACT leader David Seymour responded to Jackson's comments saying there's a rational explanation and doesn't require people to "go out and make conspiracy theories."
Seymour said Prebble is a "really serious and sincere guy".
"I think what's happened here is he's got on, he's been given the strategy for the next ten years, and said - I'm sorry, if that's what we're doing for the next ten years I'm not so keen."
Seymour said he understands that wasn't a publicly available document, "so there's a perfectly rational explanation for where we are and how we got here".
Seyour said Jackson is claiming Prebble and the ACT party are being disingenuous, but made the point that Prebble isn't involved with the ACT Party currently.
It wasn't his debate to get into, Seymour said, but pointed out "there were things that nobody could have known 'til they were in the job."
"I suspect that he probably had a more optimistic view of where the Tribunal is up to than he's discovered it actually is."
