Employment Minister Willie Jackson says he might attend a hui at Waitangi with iwi leaders but he's not interested in their "strategies''.

Government Minister Willie Jackson says he's not interested in iwi leaders' concerns about charter school closures because they've never spoken for his constituency.

The Labour-NZ First coalition government looks set to face tough questions from iwi leaders at Waitangi next year over plans to close charter schools.

National Party leader Bill English says the Iwi Chairs Forum (ICF), like his own party, can't understand why the Government is being so "bloody minded" about closing the schools down.

KEVIN STENT/STUFF Crown/Māori Relations Minister Kelvin Davis says he's happy to have "robust discussion" with the Iwi Chairs Forum about a range of topics, including charter schools, at Waitangi next year.

The ICF has written to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and several Ministers including Kelvin Davis, Nanaia Mahuta and Jackson, saying they have concerns with any potential closures.

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But Jackson, who ran as a list MP at the election, says the ICF "have never spoken for my constituency in Auckland so I don't need them to be advocating for anything I've been involved in".

DOMINICO ZAPATA/STUFF Minister for Whānau Ora Peeni Henare said he would be prepared to debate with anyone who thinks closing charter schools would breach Treaty of Waitangi principles.

Jackson formerly headed the Manukau Urban Authority, which sponsors Te Kura Māori O Waatea - a charter school based in Auckland.

"They don't represent my people, the vast majority of people who live in Auckland. The people I've represented through the years have been people in the city and many times iwi leadership has acted against their interests because we've seen so little coming back to people who live in the cities," he said.

While Jackson might attend the hui between the Government and ICF at Waitangi, he said he wasn't interested in the leaders' "strategies".

Jackson's comments come on the back of Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones saying "Halley's Comet will be back" before he would meet with the ICF, who are threatening Supreme Court action if the Government doesn't progress iwi rights to fresh water.

MINISTRY TO MEET WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS

The Labour-led Government is following through on its campaign promise to shut down charter schools and is working with each one to see if they can transition to a special character school.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins has written to the sponsors of the country's 10 charter schools saying the Ministry of Education will meet with them in February, but until then all contractual agreements remain in place.

It's understood the ICF is suggesting closing the schools could breach Treaty of Waitangi principles.

"There's over 1000 children at these schools, many of whom were not in schools before, many of whom I've met who have done a lot better in a different environment, and they can't understand why the Government is setting out so ruthlessly to shut down those schools and deprive those kids of the opportunities they have," says English.

In the lead-up to the election Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis said he would resign if any of the charter schools in his electorate were forced to close. He said it was an easy promise to make because the schools would only change in name.

Both Jackson and Tamaki Makaurau MP Peeni Henare also have ties to charter schools. Jackson had been tipped to run for the Māori Party at the election against Henare before former Labour leader Andrew Little brought him into the fold.

Davis, who is Crown/Māori Relations Minister, said a letter had been received from the ICF requesting a meeting with Ardern and Ministers at Waitangi on February 2.

"They want to discuss a range of topics. We do plan to have conversations with the Iwi Chairs Forum but have not responded to them yet."

Davis said he expected the Government to have "robust discussion" with the ICF at Waitangi and charter schools "could well be" one of the topics.

He said he was happy to have a discussion with ICF about any potential Treaty breaches but he wasn't sure which principle they were referring to.

Henare said he hadn't spoken to anyone about charter schools since becoming a Minister but he'd be "prepared to have that argument with anyone" in regards to Treaty breaches.

"I don't think there's any argument to it. If anyone can explain to me how charter schools in particular are a fulfilment of obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi, I'd be happy to have that debate."

Mahuta said she had received the ICF letter but ultimately the decision around the future of charter schools was for Hipkins to make.​

Davis said the Government was committed to raising the education achievement of all Māori children, "not experimenting on a few of them".

Asked if experimenting on Māori children would continue if the schools remained open under another model, Davis said, "there's different means for them to remain open but within the rules that other schools have to".

"We're just looking at all the options."

National's Crown/Māori Relations spokesman Todd Muller said he would have expected Davis to reply to the ICF's concerns by now and not wait another six weeks until Waitangi.

"It shows the leadership and courage of the iwi leadership group to advocate so strongly for these schools. They are helping many young Māori and they clearly can see that," he said.

As for Davis' "experimenting" comment, Muller said the schools were independently evaluated and proven to be performing well.

"This is an unusual comment for the Minister of Crown/Iwi Relations to make given he previously offered to resign if two partnership schools closed in his electorate," Muller said.

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