Christopher Luxon at Waitangi during commemorations earlier this year. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will not confirm whether he will attend Waitangi Day commemorations in the Northland town next year.
Luxon said he had received "a number of invitations", but he had not yet made a decision.
The national day in 2025 lands one week after hearings on the Treaty Principles Bill begin, legislation that led to one of the country's biggest hīkoi opposing it.
The Justice committee said it plans to hear submissions "in the week starting Monday 27 January and the weeks starting 10, 17 and 24 February 2025."
ACT leader David Seymour - the architect of the Bill - has confirmed he will attend the commemorations in Waitangi.
Luxon told reporters not to jump to "any conclusions," but pointed out he that he had "a number of iwi invite me to their Waitangi Day celebrations".
"We'll get to announcing what we're doing for Waitangi, but there are a number of options on the table, and we'll announce it in due course."
He spoke about how he would love to visit all the sites where the Treaty was signed, and "make sure it's a national day across the country".
"I have historically said on the record that I would also think it's great to celebrate Waitangi across New Zealand, not just always in Waitangi."
Luxon said he observed former Prime Minister Bill English visiting Ngāti Whaatua instead, and thought that was a "really good example".
Former Prime Ministers Sir John Key and Helen Clark have also decided to stay away from Waitangi and Te Tii marae in the past over issues around speaking rights.
Luxon reiterated he had not made any decisions "about any of the Waitangi timeframe and schedule at this point in time". But he did confirm he will attend Rātana celebrations, which occur at the end of January.
A 'terrible look'
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said it would be a "terrible look" if the prime minister decided not to go.
Given the "significance" of the day, Hipkins said he thought it was important the "Crown is represented there".
"Generally that's the Governor-General and the prime minister would represent New Zealand at those events."
He pointed out that it had been a long time since there had not been that sort of representation.
"There was a period where it wasn't safe and so on, and I think a lot of work has gone in over the last 10 years or so to make Waitangi Day a celebration of the signing of our nation's founding document."
Hipkins said he would be there for as much as he could be "because I think that's really important for the sense of unity as a country and the commemoration of what is a very significant event for us".
Hipkins pointed out visiting the place where the document was signed has been an annual tradition for a very long time, barring "one or two years where for a variety of reasons" prime ministers did not go.
"There's actually no reason not to go now."
When it came to visiting other parts of the country for Waitangi celebrations, Hipkins said: "You can do both."
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