The National Party’s annual meeting this weekend will consider a Treaty of Waitangi clause for the party’s constitution.
Deputy leader Shane Reti says it has been a work in progress for many years.
"We generally see the benefits and the need to have something in our constitution that then anchors our Māori interface, anchors our relationship with Māori and how we can do better with that relationship, and certainly all of the regional conferences that was the mood of the room and the mood of members, that we needed to do this. It will be for the members to decide this weekend but I am cautiously optimistic," he says......
The same day Richard Prebble wrote an insightful column in the NZ Herald entitled, "The tide has turned for Labour, polls reveal". It's well worth a read.
The final sentence says, "These two polls, two years out, indicate that the next election is National’s and Act’s to lose. Don’t count out the ability of National’s MPs to come to Labour’s rescue."
It's a very fitting remark in the context of Shane Reti's desire to have the Treaty of Waitangi embedded within National's constitution.
One of the opinion polls referred to by Richard Prebble had National up 1.7 points and Act up 4.2 points. That means for every one voter that shifted to National, 2.5 shifted to Act.
That is what National should be discussing at its annual conference. After doing so they may well come to the view that introducing a Treaty of Waitangi clause into their constitution is not such a great idea. In fact, it would be a very dumb idea.
The annual conference is National's last practical opportunity to put its house in order and send a signal to its supporters that "we are back".
Many people will be hoping they do send that signal because, truth-be-known, National is probably the party that most centre and right of centre folk would prefer to support - if they were given a reason to do so. Clearly, the polls are showing that most swing voters believe National does not deserve their support and are moving to Act.
This weekend National has a chance to convince their remaining supporters to hang in there.
It's probably their last chance given the growing impatience in heartland New Zealand.
If National do decide to embed the Treaty of Waitangi into their constitution then they should expect to lose another tranche of support, and it may even be the final straw that leads to the formation of a new party to specifically displace National. The only obstacle to that would be finding a suitable leader.
Frank Newman, a political commentator and investment analyst, is a former local body councillor.
The annual conference is National's last practical opportunity to put its house in order and send a signal to its supporters that "we are back".
Many people will be hoping they do send that signal because, truth-be-known, National is probably the party that most centre and right of centre folk would prefer to support - if they were given a reason to do so. Clearly, the polls are showing that most swing voters believe National does not deserve their support and are moving to Act.
This weekend National has a chance to convince their remaining supporters to hang in there.
It's probably their last chance given the growing impatience in heartland New Zealand.
If National do decide to embed the Treaty of Waitangi into their constitution then they should expect to lose another tranche of support, and it may even be the final straw that leads to the formation of a new party to specifically displace National. The only obstacle to that would be finding a suitable leader.
11 comments:
National do have a penchant for self-destruction and are lucky to be polling where they are, in my view. They have been underwhelming since the last election. In fact, they were missing in action until about April this year. Since then they have spluttered along with no real cohesion or inspired leadership.
Someone like Luxon, who is the popular favourite to succeed Collins - the last of the old guard - would turn National into a blue-tinged version of Labour.
Embracing the Treaty and inserting clauses in their constitution shows that National has some real woke issues.
Have just joined National , hoping NNP , will strengthen their backbone.It will be a very short membership ,if they love up to this false Maori partnership rubbish, at their Conference this weekend.
I am fighting myself not to change allegiance from Nats to ACT but I am losing the fight, viz:
I read a comment by Luxon that a booklet found in Auckland, and reported on Te Ao - Maori News, was inflammatory by stating that Maori were not indigenous, and that there was no mention of "partnership" and "principles" in the ToW. All three statements are factually correct. So why did Luxon call the booklet inflammatory. Maori are immigrants not indigenous. Never mind what UN, World Bank and other similar international institutions say, they are the definitive authority on the English language.
Well, if Luxon believes any of that nonsense then we do not want the Nats to win the next election with their current MPs. To even consider Luxon as a potential leader of the Nats, speaks volumes of the people behind the Nats Party; and now we have Reti blathering similar nonsense. And Collins herself saying she is comfortable with calling New Zealand that artificial Maori name. Oh boy, what a pack of idiots we have in Nats !
Our only hope, it seems, is ACT.
I am old enough to remember National as being a political party. Now it is just a name that is bandied about by people that cannot recollect the usefulness of having a foil against whomever has control of the treasury benches. Labour simply has to go, they are too incompetent and destructive. But New Zealand lacks the talent and depth to produce worthwhile leaders by the form of government we are saddled with. National would wipe the floor with these communist half wits, since we all look for a viable alternative, regrettably, there isn't one.
In my comment above I missed out the word NOT in the following statement: "Never mind what UN, World Bank and other similar international institutions say, they are NOT the definitive authority on the English language." My apologies if readers were confused.
The most inciteful comment I heard prior to the last election was from an extremely perturbed Mark Richardson publicly admitting on TV that he was a die-hard Nat but that at voting time for this (2019) election he would have no option but to vote Labour, in order to block the destructive influence that the Greens could (and would) bring to the table if they were to share power jointly with Labour. I believe that Richardson's comment resonated deeply with centrist New Zealand, which took his advice and voted Labour to block the Greens.
The rest is history and Labour thanked the likes of Mark and myself and all those holding centrist views by subverting this wonderful country with communistic ideology and a blatant brainwashing Separatist plan to destroy democracy by allocating to Maori all New Zealand's assets.
We need centrist supporters like Mark Richardson to uses their position on National TV to voice their concerns around the ineptitude shown by the current Nat's and to provide an alternative route to take in the event that the Nat party goes into the next election under the inept leadership it has currently. If it has to be the Act party then so be it! At least communism and Separatism wont be on the Act agenda. What is happening to New Zealand today is downright scary. The Three Waters proposal by this arrogant non-consulting communist Labour government has to be the last straw.
My greatest wish for centrist New Zealanders - I implore you to unite against what is happening in our country, or the alternative is Separatism and all the pain and tragedy it brings. If 50 years of living in Africa taught me anything, its that Separatism is the most destructive choice possible to mankind. It has never succeeded anywhere in the world and never will.
Sadly -- I concur with all the above comments --
My wife and I have stuck with National for over fifty years but that loyalty has now gone --
National, not backing Paul Goldsmith over his honest and factual statements on the “benefits” – to Maori – of colonisation. was one nail in their coffin and now to hear this crap that Luxon and Reti want to carry on with arderns maorification of New Zealand
is the last straw.
We are both now financial members of the Act Party.
Yes it looks like the writing, English I think, is on the wall for crusher, and the Nats if they adopt the Maori interpretation of the Treaty. Perhaps a highly stage managed apology for somthing, to the Moriori for the genocide they suffered perhaps, might help.
National today, ignore their founding principles of 1936, when it was founded by Sidney Holland, to combat the Socialist spread that leads to Communism.
Todays National supporters, cling to the hope that it will return to its roots, & save democracy. Truth is, that few want to accept, National have joined the Globalist Elite, determined to implement Agenda 2030. They have endorsed & never repealed, even added to, Labours lead. John Key was the worst offender. introducing, what even Helen Clark side stepped.
So if you want to be saved by National ? Forget it..
D.Seat echoes my thoughts exactly except that after having been exclusively
Labour since first voting 70 years ago I cannot vote for a party that spouts lies and myths about non-existent Treaty relationships and is indoctrinating the young in false history. So who offers escape from this nonsense? ACT?
Like those who have already posted I am not supporting a party with such a blatant agenda of support for division of the country on lines of race. Add to that their internal division and lack of presenting a compelling alternative and one is left with no choice ... watch as support for ACT continues to grow.
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