Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour has dismissed criticism from former Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel over his comments on the teaching of colonisation, saying New Zealand should focus on equal rights rather than what he calls inherited divisions.

Dalziel wrote in an opinion piece that Seymour’s characterisation of how colonisation is taught suggests it “casts children as victims or villains by birth,” describing that view as “disgraceful.”

Seymour told chrislynchmedia.com he had not closely followed Dalziel’s comments but stood by his position.

“All I’ve said is that when you tell people as young children that Māori history is the foundational and continuous history of Aotearoa, and then when you say that colonisation was entirely bad, what young children take from that is that actually you’re either a victim… or a villain,” Seymour said.

He argued that framing children as victims could discourage ambition, while portraying others as villains based on ancestry was equally unhelpful.

“We should each be asking what can we do in our own time on earth rather than have the sins of the fathers visited upon the sons.”

Seymour said the new curriculum should recognise multiple strands of New Zealand’s history rather than elevating one narrative above others.

“Our country has many strands. People have come from all over the world and yes Māori history is important, of course we should celebrate it, but it’s not the only game in town. Everybody should be able to be proud of their heritage, warts and all.”

Asked whether New Zealand First’s private member’s bill to remove Māori seats would have ACT’s support, Seymour was unequivocal.

“It’s actually in the ACT Party constitution that we would like to get rid of the Māori seats,” he said.

He argued the seats were created in the 1860s to ensure Māori representation when voting was tied to individual land ownership, but said those conditions no longer exist.

“If you can remove distinctions in law that divide people by their ethnicity, you should. If there’s a vote that comes up, we’ll certainly do it.”

In last week’s State of the Nation speech in Christchurch, Seymour said he wanted “equal rights for all citizens so we can all feel part of a country with a positive and inclusive identity.”

He told chrislynchmedia.com he believed the country had drifted toward dividing people based on ancestry.

“We’re all settlers, whether it was 800 years ago in the case of some of my Māori ancestors, or just this morning people getting off the plane at Auckland International. To have this idea that people should somehow be ranked and divided as more or less special based on when their ancestors settled is really unique, and I oppose it.”

Seymour also doubled down on comments from the same speech in which he said Te Pāti Māori “frighten” him.

“What frightens me is the underlying belief system,” he said, claiming the party promotes a framework that separates “land people and treaty people.”

“I just oppose that basic idea that people should have the mark of Cain before they’re even born and be either victims or villains.”

He also criticised what he described as confrontational tactics in Parliament and on marae.

“They seem to believe that they are not bound by basic decency and respect that other people show each other. It’s their underlying beliefs and the way they believe they’re entitled to go about advancing their ideas that is frightening.”

Turning to the economy, Seymour was asked about a recent Auckland job advertisement that attracted 2500 applicants for an entry level role.

“There’s clearly not enough jobs, and that’s why we need to make sure that the government spends its money carefully,” he said.

He argued excessive government spending between 2021 and 2024 had driven inflation and high interest rates, dampening business confidence.

“The best thing the government can do, other than making sure the streets are safe and the rules are clear, is get out of the way. That’s what this government’s doing.”

Asked whether immigration settings were increasing competition at the lower end of the labour market, given that only 44 percent of applicants for the Auckland role were from New Zealand, Seymour suggested deeper structural issues.

“There’s a long term hardcore of people who have been on benefits in some cases for generations that won’t get back into the habit of working,” he said.

“We could stop immigration and try and force employers to employ those people. I don’t know that would work so well. I think what we really need in the next year is more welfare reform.”

When asked about his visit to Christchurch, Seymour said supporters were primarily concerned about the prospect of a change of government.

“You’ve got to win. If you don’t win, if the other guys get in, we’re getting out of the country,” he said supporters had told him.

“I think the biggest threat to New Zealand and its economic recovery this year is a change of government.”