ACT leader David Seymour told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking that he refuted claims that the bill was dead post the first reading. 

He said the other parties see “that this far more constructive than anything they have seen before”. 

“I think it's very clear that more and more people see that this is an initiative that promotes equal rights.” 

He reiterated that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had not taken him up on his multiple offers to “join the wagon”. 

“I think the National party is afraid of taking on hard issues.” 

Seymour said that this Bill is about giving “everyone a fair chance in life”. 

“Ultimately we are democratising the treaty... we are saying anyone gets a say in our constitutional future. 

“There has become this idea that the treaty is a partnership so therefore everything becomes about your identity and which side of the partnership you are on. 

“Until we remove the underlying idea that our treaty is a partnership between races and we each have a different role in our society based on our background those policies will all be back in the stroke of a pen.” 

He said Bill has produced a “difficult debate” on whether the Treaty allows people to have equal rights or provides a partnership based on identity. 

“If I am completely wrong and it never gets past the first reading, all that happens is that we produce the idea that each New Zealander has the right to have a say about their constitutional future. 

“My ultimate challenge to those who oppose this bill… where in the world has divided people up based on this background been a success?” 

LISTEN ABOVE