Summarised by Centrist
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has publicly rebuked ACT leader David Seymour for pre-emptively responding to a critical United Nations letter, insisting official diplomatic matters require coordination and experience.
“This is a matter of experience… it’s called diplomacy,” Peters told reporters, after Seymour unilaterally sent a scathing reply to UN special rapporteur Albert K Barume.
Barume had raised concerns about the government’s agenda, particularly Seymour’s Regulatory Standards Bill, suggesting it undermined Māori rights under the Treaty.
Seymour described the letter as “condescending” and “an affront to New Zealand’s sovereignty,” accusing Barume of being offensive and misinformed. While Seymour later agreed to withdraw his response after talks with Peters, he denied wrongdoing, claiming he was simply “too efficient” and maintaining that “we all agree the UN’s criticisms are crazy.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also weighed in, calling the UN letter “bunkum,” but confirmed Peters was the appropriate person to lead the official response. Peters, in turn, said Seymour was mistaken to suggest their positions aligned, noting he was still consulting ministries ahead of the 11 August deadline.
“We don’t do megaphone diplomacy,” Peters said, criticising Seymour for addressing international matters via media statements. He also took a jab at Luxon’s public remarks, refusing to say whether the PM’s comments were equally inappropriate: “Why don’t you ask him?”
