David Seymour, leader of the libertarian ACT Party, highlighted the importance of individuals taking responsibility for their own lives during his State of the Nation address. He expressed concern that New Zealanders have been nudged toward the left of the political spectrum, leading to increased dependence on the government to address issues in their lives. This is a shift that Seymour suggested had dulled the sense of personal responsibility and self-reliance.
Seymour cited the erosion of values that originally made New Zealand a great nation and called for a return to celebrating hard work, success, and wealth. He believes that personal responsibility should be tied to accepting welfare and emphasized that individuals are capable of making a difference in their own lives. He expressed that this message of personal responsibility is not being promoted effectively by political leaders and community members.
ACT Party’s focus on defending traditional values was stated to be important for addressing the root cause of the nation’s problems. The party aims to encourage personal responsibility and has been working to push back on the influence of identity politics. Seymour indicated that tackling the country’s issues starts with every individual New Zealander, and not just the government.
Furthermore, the ACT Party plans to introduce legislation to rewrite the Treaty Principles Bill, striking down race-specific laws for Maori and non-Maori, and replacing them with principles that promote equality and anti-discrimination. This move aims to bring all groups under the same laws while fostering a multi-ethnic liberal democracy.
Seymour’s statements on these issues have sparked controversy, particularly concerning race-based politics. The central government has faced opposition from Maori representatives, and significant changes to policy implemented by the Ardern government, focusing on race-based approaches, have received pushback and revision.