English heads to Ratana earlier

The prime minister will head to Ratana a day earlier than expected because the 25th celebrations clash with Cabinet’s first meeting of the new year.

Bill English will meet with Maori King Tuheitia and Tuwharetoa chief Sir Tumu Te Heuheu when he attends Ratana on January 23. All other political leaders won’t arrive at the Whanganui settlement until the following day, which has been set aside for political talks.

It’s understood a delegation of National Party MPs will attend Ratana with English, and a group will also be present on January 24 representing the Government in the prime minister’s absence.

English’s decision not to attend Ratana on the day set aside for political talks comes only a week after he announced he wouldn’t be attending Waitangi on February 5 or 6 – the two days the leader of the country traditionally turns up.

The attendance of the prime minister at Waitangi is a vexed issue every year, with John Key opting not to go in 2016 after being refused speaking rights and receiving protest threats.

English said he had written to marae officials after being appointed prime minister to determine the conditions of his attendance, and been told he would not be able to speak at the powhiri – a decision he did not believe was appropriate for the country’s leader.

While protests at Waitangi had been ‘‘nationally relevant’’ 15 to 20 years ago, that was no longer the case, he said.

‘‘Political discussion at Te Tii Marae is now really about Ngapuhi issues and their own concerns in Northland, but it’s a national day, a day for New Zealanders to be proud of their whole country.

‘‘A lot of New Zealanders cringe a bit on Waitangi Day when they see the way that the ceremonies are being conducted, the ceremonies and welcomes, the type of protest there has been in recent years, and I’m pretty keen that we have a day when they’re proud.’’

English hasn’t decided what he’ll do on Waitangi Day, although he will be in Auckland.