"Today Chris Hipkins gave a speech about ‘bringing people together’. All I can say is I admire his chutzpah. Only nine months ago Hipkins led a Government that left New Zealanders more divided than ever," says ACT Justice spokesperson Todd Stephenson.

"Jacinda promised kindness, but never hesitated to go after a minority group. By the time Labour were done, a scientific poll found that 77 percent of us felt New Zealand was becoming more divided.

"Labour pitted employers against employees, landlords against renters, made licensed firearm owners and farmers feel like criminals, and created an occupation on Parliament’s lawn that had to be broken up with batons and shields.

"Labour were successful in bringing protestors and riot police together on the grounds of Parliament, but their COVID response mostly kept people apart, including pregnant citizens overseas and their family at home.

"Labour even divided rich from poor, with a COVID response that locked working people down and transferred wealth into the property market.

"Labour were also the ones that created division based on race in the areas of health, water infrastructure, local government and resource management. Laughably, Chris Hipkins championed these same divisive policies today, in a speech dressed in the language of unity.

"New Zealanders aren’t stupid – they know Labour attempted radical constitutional change by giving different groups different rights.

"ACT says every New Zealander deserves the same rights and dignity. We can celebrate Māori culture, and every other, within the framework of a liberal democracy that unites us on the basis of our common humanity. That is what New Zealanders voted for at the election, and that is the promise we are keeping in government."

© Scoop Media