NZ First voted with Labour and the Green Party last night on the first step of entrenching the Māori seats and voting down a bill proposing gang members could not hold a firearms license.

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Entrenching Māori seats

National's electoral law spokesperson Nick Smith called NZ First "total hypocrites" and said their vote for Māori seats was a "disgraceful back flip". However, NZ First said it was only supporting the bill so the New Zealand public could make a decision on the seats.

In May, NZ First MP Shane Jones said he did not "know of anyone in our caucus who is going to vote for the entrenchment of the seven Maori seats" and leader Winston Peters reiterated his intent to push for a referendum on the future of the Māori seats in Parliament.

Shane Jones and Nick Smith Source: 1 NEWS

"Māori don't need the molly coddling of this paternalistic attitude which, unfortunately, Māori have now adopted," Mr Peters said previously.

If the Bill passes it would mean it would be harder to abolish the seats, needing at least 75 per cent of Parliament or a referendum to scrap.

Dr Smith said NZ First's vote in favour of entrenchment was an attempt "to hide its nakedness on this issue with a fig leaf claiming it will introduce an amendment to the Bill providing a referendum on abolition".

NZ First MP Darroch Ball spoke in the House, saying his party's view against the seats was no secret, however, he thought it was for the public to decide via a binding referendum.

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"The only reason we will be doing that is if there is a provision and an amendment for a binding referendum to be held from the people of New Zealand. We will not be supporting it any further past that point if that referendum and that clause in the amendment are not put forward."

Associate Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson pleaded last night with NZ First to support the bill.

"I implore my New Zealand First friends and whanaunga to support this bill that celebrates mana, that celebrates the partnership between Māori and Pākehā."

Firearms Bill

National's Hutt South MP Chris Bishop said his bill would have "given police new powers to make sure the most dangerous gang members with a history of serious crimes don't have access to firearms".

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"Instead the Bill was shot down at first reading by NZ First, Labour and the Greens, despite too many firearms ending up in the hands of violent, criminal gang members.

"The vast majority of Kiwi hunters, farmers and recreational shooters do the right thing, but criminal gang members have no respect for the law, so police need expanded powers to be able to deal with them," he said.

However, in Parliament yesterday, Health Minister Dr David Clark called the bill a "knee-jerk reaction" that "undermines human rights principles and enables the extension of searches without warrants".