Hugh Perrett: Implementation of Separatism in New Zealand

Together with many other New Zealanders, I must express my extreme concern at Government’s continuing deliberate re-invention of and misinterpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi, seemingly for its own political agenda and benefit, by promulgating what can only be described as Government endorsed Separatism through a Government sponsored system of neo- apartheid - a political structure which for decades we despised and rejected relative to South Africa.

It is almost certain to be extremely damaging to our society, democratic system and democracy.

There is no justification for it, as is seemingly being claimed, in either our history or in the Treaty of Waitangi provisions.

Observably activists inside Government seem to have hijacked collectively, both Government‘s caucus and the Coalition.

They appear to have embedded a sense of guilt in the Prime Minister and to be successfully exploiting it to the full. 

 

I’m sure these activists are chasing “the easy money” so to speak.

Longer term the “Ward system” in local body politics and the “List-member” provisions for parliamentary elections, would seem to ensure they are not going away any time soon. Additionally, of course, Maori can quite rightly stand in ordinary electorate seats. It could all get very lopsided!

However, the fact that speaking Maori is likely be a prerequisite for employment in the Government Service adds a further dimension to the possible “stacking of” and over-concentration of activist-sympathetic participants in the Government sector and decision- implementation stream.

The Treaty negotiations and settlements have been affected and Government should be making it very clear to these activists that there is no more. The gravy train is over - finito - and make it stick.

Unfortunately, they appear to be taking the worst possible option by looking to withdraw the clause “full and final” with regard to Treaty Settlements, leaving the way open for unlimited continuing and ongoing claims.

I don’t know for sure just what The Prime Minister’s true agenda is, but it is totally untenable and unless stopped and reversed, it will almost certainly be very damaging and could well lead to the destruction of our democracy and society over which process it seems, she will be very happy to preside.

It seems to me the Prime Minister may well basically see us as her “subjects” as opposed to “fellow” New Zealand citizens of equal standing, she was elected to, and undertook to, represent - and that we will “bloody well do as we are told.” We are being “ruled” not governed.

She seems to overlook the fact that it is our country as well as hers. In effect she seems to be governing for, at most, 15 percent of the population. Her real team is a team of 750,000 NOT 5,000,000.

This Government is maverick, and it is hard to guess what the Prime Minister’s real agenda is and how “mischievous” it might be. 

Importantly, the Government has had no mandate for any of these moves, none of which were disclosed to the electorate during the election process. The electorate were “totally uninformed” as to Government’s intentions at the time of the election. In effect we have been “blindsided” insofar as these undisclosed policies, intentions and actions go, all of which are very dangerous to our democratic system and democracy. A realistic question could well be - “are they all legal?”

This only covers a bit of the ground.

Other issues such as the mandatory teaching and learning of Maori, a language without meaningful utility, are of serious consequence, taking up valuable educational time much better utilised for education options far more relevant to one’s future life.

In addition, the dishonest and manipulative reinvention of “cleansing” and re-presenting of our history with a view to controlling our children’s perceptions of our past, with a view to “political management” in their future - a classic methodology used by religions to establish and indoctrinate adherents from a very early age, which, coupled to a reinforcing regime of daily prayer (self-brainwashing and indoctrination) practically ensures at least some level of control for life. 

I see this Government as extremely ill-informed as to the electorate, philosophically highly dangerous, and likely to bring about the destruction of our democracy as such and do very serious damage to our society.

What is their real agenda?

It is anyone’s guess. But I believe they must be stopped from going down the track they are on.

We must stop living in the past and start living collectively as New Zealanders of equal standing, regardless of our derivation, for a common-purpose and to ensure a successful future - collectively as New Zealanders together.

Hugh Perrett, a member of the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame, is the former managing director of Foodstuffs and founder of the Pak n' Save discount grocery chain. 

Breaking Views is the blog of the New Zealand Centre for Political Research public policy think tank - you can register for the free weekly NZCPR newsletters HERE.