Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

PM pledges no change to oath of allegiance

Updated at 4:42 am on 16 July 2011

Prime Minister John Key says a change to the oath of allegiance to include a reference to the Treaty of Waitangi is not going to happen anytime soon.

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples lobbied the Speaker of the House in 2006 for such a change.

The issue arose again after the Speaker on Thursday refused to swear in Mana Party leader Hone Harawira, when he pledged allegiance to the Treaty, not the Queen.

The Maori Party says there should be the opportunity to swear allegiance to the treaty as New Zealand's founding document.

But Mr Key says it's not something he's considered.

He says the oath of allegiance has been in existence for a very long time and is unlikely to change anytime soon.

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