David Seymour says coalition tensions have not stopped government progress

David Seymour says he has learned to work with Winston Peters at the Cabinet table, despite his earlier description of Peters as “that clown”. In an interview with The Spinoff’s At Large podcast, the ACT leader said the coalition had held together because the country needed a stable government. Looking back on the three years since the coalition was formed, Seymour argued that its partners had achieved a substantial amount. He pointed to firearms reforms, the Regulatory Standards Act and plans to replace the Resource Management Act as examples of work advanced by the government. He credited the results to the coalition’s ability to keep operating despite disagreements involving Peters and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Seymour also pushed back against the idea that ACT had been the main source of friction. Referring to a tally of public disputes between coalition partners, he said ACT had been involved in about a third, but in those instances his party had been attacked by a partner. He described ACT’s approach as trying to be constructive and to focus on the government’s achievements rather than trading accusations. He acknowledged that the coalition’s internal arguments had made it more difficult to portray the opposition as a chaotic alternative. The Treaty Principles Bill had been a particularly divisive issue, attracting opposition from coalition partners as well as protests and a large march to Parliament. Asked whether the project had ultimately been positive or negative, Seymour began to give his assessment in the interview, though the supplied article cuts off before his answer is complete.