Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will this morning kick off a week of interviews ahead of a long-awaited visit to Waitangi – after his absence last year under the cloud of the Treaty Principles Bill.
Luxon will be in the studio with Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB at 7.37am.
You can listen here.
He is set to return to the Treaty grounds this Friday with coalition partner Act’s Treaty Principles Bill no longer a central focus of protesters.
Luxon received criticism last year for not attending while the Treaty Principles Bill was yet to be voted down at its second reading.
Luxon is also dealing with a deepening row between National and NZ First over the NZ-India Free Trade deal after he dismissed Winston Peters’ immigration concerns as “wrong”.
He has also not yet commented about an on-camera incident in which a firefighter made a crude gesture behind his back. Fire and Emergency said it did not condone the man’s behaviour and has opened an investigation.
Luxon has not attended Waitangi since 2024, when he promised a “relentless” focus on improving the economy in his first term in Government.
In 2025, the PM was criticised for spending Waitangi Day with Ngai Tāhu in the South Island, while the controversial Treaty Principles Bill was still before a select committee.
This year he will be in Auckland on February 6, but will attend Waitangi on February 5 to meet with the Iwi Chairs Forum and attend the official politicians’ welcome.
The PM will also appear on Ryan Bridge TODAY after 8am.
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