Oaths vs Speeches

Personally I’m not sure MPs should have to swear an oath at all. The oath is just a piece of formality. But if we are to keep an oath, then it should be as non controversial as possible – something like uphold the law, do your duty and serve the people of New Zealand.

So I wasn’t a big fan of changing the law so MPs could include a reference to the Treaty of Waitangi in their oaths. That creates multiple oaths. If MPs want to mention the Treaty of Waitangi they can do so in their speeches.

NBR reports:

What some see as another bid by the Maori party to take New Zealand down the road of racial separatism has been rebuffed in Parliament.

Te Ururoa Flavell’s private member’s bill allowing people to pledge to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi when making legal oaths was thrown out by 69 votes to 52.

National, ACT, United Future and New Zealand First all voted against it.

So Labour, Greens, Maori and Mana voted for it.