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The relationship between the Crown and Māori is "probably worse" since the coalition government came to power, with "more division" nowadays, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.
Luxon made the comments in an interview with Q+A's Jack Tame on Sunday morning.
However, he laid much of the blame at the feet of the previous Labour government, saying it had made some "pretty horrendous decisions" affecting Māori.
In November, more than 40,000 people marched on Parliament as part of a hīkoi spanning the length of Aotearoa.
Many were protesting the Treaty Principles Bill, which seeks to redefine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Luxon said he did not like the bill - championed by ACT leader David Seymour - "at all".
"I don't think it's the right way to deal with race relations in this country."
However, the National Party had promised, during coalition negotiations, to support it through a first reading, he said.
"We came to a compromise that is quite normal in coalition governments and MMP environments."
Tens of thousands of protesters at Parliament in November. Photo: RNZ/Samuel Rillstone
Tame asked Luxon whether he thought that Māori-Crown relations were better or worse than 12 months ago, when the coalition government came to power.
They were "probably worse", the prime minister said.
"I think there's more division.
"It's a challenging time at the moment ... there's strong feeling on all sides of that debate."
Luxon said the division had "been building for some time" and the previous government "didn't take people with them" on issues affecting Māori, including the Māori Health Authority and Three Waters reforms, which the coalition government has scrapped.
The Labour government had made some "pretty horrendous decisions", he said.