National Māori Authority chair Matthew Tukaki says ACT leader David Seymour is "once again scraping the bottom of the barrel".
That criticism comes after ACT announced its " bottom line" for forming a coalition after the next general election next year, saying, "This election, ACT will be campaigning for a referendum on co-governance".
"'ACT proposes that the next government pass legislation defining the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, particularly their effect on democratic institutions. Then ask the people to vote on it becoming law," Seymour says.
The Act leader argued: “No society in history has succeeded by having different political rights based on birth. Many New Zealanders came here to escape class and caste and apartheid.
“All of the good political movements of the past 400 years have been about ending discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex and sexuality to treat each person with the same dignity," Seymour says.
"We are the first country in history that’s achieved equal rights and has division as its official policy. It’s nuts," he says.
Brash revisited?
Tukaki says that proposal is driven by a political agenda and he believes Seymour is simply nervous about voter support moving away from Act and returning to National.
Politicians have also weighed in on the debate. Labour's No. 2, Kelvin Davis, called it divisive.
"As a country, we’ve come a long way since the days of Don Brash and his racially divisive politics of nearly 20years ago. So it’s disappointing ACT and Seymour have decided to dredge up the old Brash playbook yet again," Davis wrote on Facebook
"With so many advances made in the past 20 years, now is not the time to go backwards and employ politics that divide but to keep pushing forward towards even greater equality and unity.
"Ko Mataku raua ko Kino nga tamariki o Kuare."
Let's debate it - Jackson
Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson also shared his opinion with his followers: "Your attempt to paint co-governance out as some type of conspiracy for Māori to take over the country by stealth is an absurdity that is almost Trumpian in its delusional rhetoric, David, and your race-baiting doesn't intimidate me in the slightest."
Jackson even said he was happy to debate the topic with the ACT leader. "Oh, you want a debate about co-governance now do you, David Seymour?
"Great!"
"Māori have been waiting 182 years for someone to come forward and negotiate in good faith the promise of the Treaty, and you've self-declared your desire to be the medium for that debate! Wonderful news! I applaud your demand to debate co-governance and I relish the opportunity for debate with you, David."
Seymour isn't backing down and says "not all Māori are disadvantaged and not all disadvantaged are Māori". He also asserts that, even if Māori are seated at a governing table, that may not be the answer to the problems.
"If Jacinda Ardern wants to continue down the path of co-governance, she needs to make her case and it needs to be stronger than just that the powerful Labour Māori caucus want it," Seymour says.
"Her problem is this is the only argument she has. This is why ACT has called for a referendum, so we can have a meaningful debate and all New Zealanders can have their say."