Christopher Luxon. Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Northern iwi Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Manu have penned an open letter to the prime minister demanding he acknowledge Māori did not cede sovereignty to the Crown.
Christopher Luxon told Parliament last week during Question Time the Crown was "sovereign" and Māori ceded sovereignty when signing the Treaty of Waitangi.
Both iwi met on Sunday to discuss whanaungatanga and shared interests relating to their ongoing treaty settlements. They want the prime minister to meet with them at Waitangi to "correct the record" and discuss the relationship between Māori and the Crown.
"Your statement and those supporting your statement misrepresents the truth," the letter read.
"Your statement further undermines the findings of the independent commission of inquiry, the Waitangi Tribunal... in particular, the 2014 Waitangi Tribunal Stage One report on He Whakaputanga me te Tiriti (The Declaration and the Treaty) that stated, "in February 1840 the rangatira who signed te Tiriti did not cede their sovereignty".
The letter said the prime minister's stance was "both misleading and offensive" and the tribunal's report found those who signed the Treaty retained "complete authority over their people and territories".
"We absolutely and categorically refute your claim that the Crown is sovereign."
Speaking to RNZ, Ngāti Hine leader Pita Tipene said similar comments were made in 2014 by the then National government, following the release of the tribunal's report.
"Shortly after that, the then Attorney-General Chris Finalyson came out with a public statement saying 'that may be so, but the government I'm a part of is still sovereign'."
"It's not surprising. The prime minister, Cabinet, and other members of Parliament visit Waitangi and there is a lot of rhetoric that comes across from [them] to [the] public about honouring te Tiriti o Waitangi.
"Really this is not honourable at all. It's deception."
Pita Tipene. Photo: Northern Advocate / supplied
The Waitangi Tribunal was hearing an urgent inquiry in the government's planned changes to customary marine title. It is the seventh urgent inquiry to take place since the coalition took power in October.
Tipene said there were moves being made by politicians to undermine the tribunal.
"No government is going willingly to let go of any of any power and authority at all - not willingly, anyway.
"When our rangatira signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi and He Wahkaputanga they were signing it with the Queen at that stage, so that is where the partnership is at."
Tipene said the government was a "settler government" who came in after the Treaty was signed, and ultimate power lay with the king and his representative, the governor-general.
"[The governor-general] has the power - albeit through the prime minister - to dissolve Parliament. We're going to apply ourselves to any measures to see that things are balanced in regard to those covenants our ancestors signed."
Speaking to media in Tonga, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reaffirmed the government's position.
"[There is] no doubt about the Crown being sovereign. We're not relitigating that.
"I appreciate there are different views from iwi across New Zealand about what happened in 1840, but the Crown acquired sovereignty through the Treaty of Waitangi and subsequent proclamations."
The prime minister said his focus was improving outcomes for Māori who had "gone backwards over the previous six years" which was not right.
Asked if he would retract his statement and meet the iwi at Waitangi, Luxon repeated that the Crown was sovereign.