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Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Mike Hosking: Do we need to have more logical discussions around the Treaty?


I am assuming you got as bored as I did over the break with the obsession—or mania, as Shane Jones quite rightly called it— when it came to ACT's idea of having a chat about the way we view and interpret the Treaty.

The problem with David Seymour is he is too logical, especially for nutters and extremists.

He wants to debate, to toss ideas about, to —dare we suggest— act like an adult and have a discussion.

Hone Harawira, I noted, in one of the alarmist gatherings just referred to the others who don't agree with him as bastards. So, you can see what poor old David is up against.

In an adult world, minds can be changed through logic, and detail, and fact, and reason.

In Hone’s world... well, you are a bastard.

The media, I noted, started the new year as they left off: unable to comprehend the fact we’ve changed govts and therefore outlooks, and fully lined up alongside the Kīngitanga and espoused the alarm, outrage, and upset.

Seymour, if you think about it logically, is to be admired. All he is asking for is a discussion.

Even National who aren't supporting his plan past select committee are taking that position I suspect not because they don’t agree with him, but because its messy politics.

They have bigger fish to fry like the economy which has been sinking like a stone. A to be fair to them, I’d make it my number one job as well.

But it is a fair-weather approach that National has specialised in for many years; pick the stuff you can get votes on. The moment it looks a bit gnarly? Walk away.

Seymour to his credit, and the end-of-life choice work he did was an excellent example, picks issues and runs with them with no fear, no favour.

It is a laudable approach driven by principle, something more of us should aspire to.

There is no doubt the Treaty has been interpreted many a different way.

The document is not prescriptive, nor that descriptive. It is open to a multitude of reactions. That’s why we have seen the Māori Party formed and reformed, any number of court cases enacted, and lord knows how much activism from the Waitangi Tribunal.

Mostly its caused angst, if not upset. We are not a harmonious nation when it comes to race relations and ACT and Seymour want to talk about it.

If only more were mature enough to give that a crack.

Mike Hosking is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently hosts The Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB on weekday mornings - where this article was sourced.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

If only an honest, fact based early NZ history discussion had been had with the people of NZ, followed by a binding referendum, before the Government of the day enacted the apartheid 1975 Treaty of Waitangi Act on us Mike?

Anonymous said...

Why do these activist maori, many of whom are half irish and english, think they have a right to free land and special treatment? Are their names harry and meghan? All this poor me stuff is just pathetic and it has to end. Treating everyone equally should go without saying. Everyday kiwis, including maori are sick of this bs. David seymour needs to know that he has our support.

Anonymous said...

I agree with anon 10.34 . Even zb barely mentioned co-governamce or the he pua pua report. I never heard hoskings critique it. Much of the public was unaware of it due to msm silence.

Andrew Osborn said...

The radicals are afraid to have that logical discussion, so they've adopted the tactic of 'cry-bullying' (look it up)

David knows that the flak is always heaviest over the target. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Under Jacinda's govt. some Maori elite could see that they were on course to have their fingers in just about every pie in the country. Now they see their dreams of power and riches fading they're screaming and throwing their toys out of the cot.

Anonymous said...

"When people get used to preferential treatment, equal treatment seems like discrimination.'

Thomas Sowell

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