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Saturday, August 31, 2024

Breaking Views Update: Week of 25.8.24







Saturday August 31, 2024 

News:
Māori King Kiingi Tūheitia dies

The Māori King, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, has died.

A Kiingitanga spokesperson say he had been in hospital recovering from heart surgery, days after celebrating the anniversary of his Coronation.

The Kiingitanga has confirmed he passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by family.

He was 69-years-old.

He will be taken to Tuurangawaewae marae, and his tangihanga is expected to last for at least five days.

It is likely his successor will be named at the end of the tangi.....
See full article HERE

Local Government Minister 'committed' to removing iwi representation from Canterbury Regional Council
The Local Government Minister says he is working through options after the Canterbury Regional Council refused his request to remove Ngāi Tahu councillor seats.

Simeon Brown asked the council to consider promoting a local bill to repeal the Ngāi Tahu Representation Act 2022 that means up to two Ngāi Tahu councillors can be appointed with full decision-making powers.

Councillors voted to reject the request at a meeting on Wednesday, saying they were committed to being a Tiriti partner of excellence.....
See full article HERE

Treaty Principles Bill: Pākehā Treaty group calls out David Seymour’s ‘divisive’ politics
A group of Pākehā calling themselves Te Tiriti Is Us wants to have an adult conversation with Act leader David Seymour about his proposed Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill.

Blake said Seymour’s bill is driving a wedge between Māori and non-Māori.

“An adult conversation should be based on honest facts.

“Act’s bill is based on a false translation of Te Tiriti, as stated in a recent open letter signed by 27 professional te reo translators. This deliberate use of untrue information by Act and David Seymour is duplicitous and is not the way to lead an adult conversation about New Zealand’s founding document.”

Blake said her group is a group of “senior Pākehā New Zealanders angered by this divisive and dishonest attempt to break the promises of the Treaty signatories, with Act pretending that they are making everyone equal.....
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
World sculptors ‘blown away’ by Māori culture, striking toi Māori sculpture in Norway

What is this thing, kotahitanga? Growing up under the Kīngitanga umbrella - Maxwell

Disabled funding cuts worse for Māori

Government ‘meets credentials of a dictatorship’, veteran Māori activist says

Māori ward is the only fair mechanism for representation - Philippa Baker-Hogan

Māori wards ‘will not divide us’: Open letter  

This Breaking Views Update monitors race relations in the media on a weekly basis. New material is added regularly. If you would like to send Letters to the Editor in response to any of these articles, most media addresses can be found HERE.  

Friday August 30, 2024 

News:
Sovereignty debate split on party lines
The debate over whether Māori ceded sovereignty in 1840 has flared up in Parliament, with party leaders staking clear positions where they have previously tip-toed.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reopened the can of worms when pressed during Question Time last week, saying he believed "Māori ceded sovereignty to the Crown".

Before that, Luxon had been willing only to say that the Crown was sovereign.

In response, Labour leader Chris Hipkins took the opposing view, a position neither he, nor his predecessor Jacinda Ardern, ever ventured when in power.

"I accept the overwhelming body of literature that suggests Māori did not cede sovereignty, having said that, sovereignty was clearly taken."....
See full article HERE

Rawiri Waititi urges halt to sewerage works at Rotokākahi - and mana whenua seek support
Mana whenua are calling out for support from the public and local MP Rawiri Waititi has urged the Rotorua Lakes Council to stop the sewerage piping works at Lake Rotokākahi immediately.

The $29 million Tarawera Sewerage Scheme pipes will be laid parallel to a section of the lake.

The area, where Fulton Hogan has begun work, is under the close watch of $3000 council cameras.

Mana whenua and others are protesting over what they say are the risks of environmental damage and desecration of their culturally significant wāhi tapu where some 120 tipuna perished in the Mt Tarawera eruption of 1886.....
See full article HERE

New Marsden Point oil spill response boat to provide on-water support if needed
The vessel was officially launched on Tuesday by the company and hapū, Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board.

Patuharakeke led a ceremonial blessing at Te Poupouwhenua, next to Channel Infrastructure’s site, and gifted the name Kātoitoi to the new rescue boat - meaning responder or respond.....
See full article HERE

Māori Ward Retained - Matamata - Piako DC
Yesterday Council voted unanimously to retain the Māori Ward and hold a binding poll alongside the 2025 local government elections. The outcome of the poll will be effective for the 2028 and 2031 elections, with Council undertaking a full representation review by 2027/28 as planned. The decision came following the coalition Government’s introduction of the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2024....
See full article HERE

Whangārei retains Māori wards, holding a binding poll next year
Whangārei District Council has chosen to retain Māori wards and hold a referendum at the 2025 local government election.

It has two Māori wards established in the last election, now represented by councillors Phoenix Ruka and Deb Harding.

When Māori wards were discussed, Paul Yovich moved a motion to have Māori wards disestablished and revert to previous representations arrangements for the 2019 local elections.

“Recent law has brought us a very divisive New Zealand through woke liberalism,” he said.....
See full article HERE

Hamilton City Council votes to retains Māori ward
Hamilton City Council is the second Waikato-based council to vote to retain its Māori ward this week.

On Thursday, Hamilton council voted to retain the Kirikiriroa Māori Ward and hold a binding poll on the issue next year, following the passing of new legislation by central government.....
See full article HERE

Rangitīkei District Council retains Māori wards
At its Council meeting held on Thursday, 29 August 2024, Rangitīkei District Council voted to retain the Tiikeitia ki Tai (Coastal) and Tiikeitia ki Uta (Inland) Māori wards for the 2025 Local Election.....
See full article HERE

Porirua to retain Māori ward and go to a poll
Porirua City Council has voted unanimously to retain its Māori ward, meaning a poll on the ward’s future will be held at next year’s local election.....
See full article HERE

Tribunal out of hand says Peters
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the Waitangi Tribunal is overreaching is mandate.

The tribunal has just finished three days of hearings into proposed changes in the Marine and Coastal Areas Act to set a higher bar for proving customary marine title – which New Zealand First supports.

The deputy prime minister says the tribunal has got out of hand.

“The Treaty of Waitangi Tribunal regards itself as an upper house. It regards itself as a replacement for the Supreme Court. It’s actually talking like that......
See full article HERE

Rights creep threatens economy
Fisheries and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says outrage over proposed changes to the Marine and Coastal Areas (Takutai Moana) Act has him questioning what people expect to get out of customary marine title.

The Waitangi Tribunal yesterday wrapped up a three-day hearing into the amendments, which the Government says is needed to bring the Act back to its original intention after a number of expansive findings by the High Court and Court of Appeal.

Minister Jones says Maori interests in commercial and customary fisheries and aquaculture have been covered by settlements done over the past 30 years that he was involved working under rangatira like Sir Graham Latimer and Matiu Rata.

“So I say to you what is left in takutai moana after that unless what you are trying to do is create a raft where takutai moana rights enable you to frustrate or undermine overdue development such as ports, such as infrastructure and there has to be a trade off. Those are far more important from my perspective in terms of powering the economy of New Zealand and keeping our people in jobs,” he says.
See full article HERE

Whakaata Māori to move Te Reo channel online in raft of changes
Whakaata Māori has announced a raft of changes, which will see its Te Reo channel moved online, and a restructure of its leadership team.

CEO Shane Taurima made the announcement on Thursday saying it was due to ongoing funding constraints and a rapidly changing media landscape.

As part of the changes, the media outlet, which is funded by the Government, will focus on producing fewer, high-impact projects that deliver the greatest value to its audience.

Its Te Reo channel will move to an online-only platformfrom March 2025.....
See full article HERE

Fire and Emergency receives award for working with Māori as tangata whenua
"Our organisation is committed to strengthening our cultural understanding and building relationships with Māori in culturally appropriate ways," says Fire and Emergency Kaupapa Māori and Cultural Communities Deputy Chief Executive Piki Thomas.

This commitment involved building its organisational capability and confidence working with Māori and creating better outcomes for Māori.
See full article HERE

Te Maharatanga o Ngā Wai / Remembering our waters
Te Maharatanga o Ngā Wai, is the name of a recently completed public space situated on the corner of Sale Street and Wellesley Street that showcases Māori culture and design. Sale Street is now a place where Te Reo Māori can be seen, heard, spoken, and learned.

This project trialled a new way of working between mana whenua (Māori tribe with territorial rights over the land) and local government and took a Māori design-led approach. For the team, this approach of working collaboratively, in a genuine partnership, was just as important as the final product......
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
The only way to keep Māori wards is for Māori to vote for them

Sovereignty acknowledged in treaty settlements

Former Whangārei mayor speaks out against Māori ward polling move  

Thursday August 29, 2024 

News:
Iwi write to PM demanding recognition Māori did not cede sovereignty
Northern iwi Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Manu have penned an open letter to the prime minister demanding he acknowledge Māori did not cede sovereignty to the Crown.

Christopher Luxon told Parliament last week during Question Time the Crown was "sovereign" and Māori ceded sovereignty when signing the Treaty of Waitangi.

Both iwi met on Sunday to discuss whanaungatanga and shared interests relating to their ongoing treaty settlements. They want the prime minister to meet with them at Waitangi to "correct the record" and discuss the relationship between Māori and the Crown.....
See full article HERE

Report reveals why half of complaints about police use of force come from Māori
Concerns about the lack of cultural understanding and respect in police interactions with Māori have been highlighted in a two-year report.

The report, Understanding Police Delivery, which was initiated by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster in March 2021, was released a week ago, and included key findings on "equity and fairness" in policing.

One of the evidence reports included an analysis of police complaints data, which revealed "significant" issues in police interactions with Māori.

It found that Māori make up over half of complaints related to police use of force.

"The rates of overall complaints by Māori for the three-month period is approximately 20 percent of the data. However, in complaints regarding the use of force, 55 percent of the submissions are from Māori."....
See full article HERE

City looks for closer tie-in with Tainui Group Holdings at Ruakura
Hamilton councillors have agreed to working more closely with Tainui Group Holdings to unlock growth at the giant Ruakura Superhub and nearby.

And a city leader says it makes sense for the city and the economic powerhouse iwi to work together in the current economic headwinds.....
See full article HERE

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council unanimously votes to retain Māori constituencies
The Hawke's Bay Regional Council has voted to retain Māori constituencies. A decision that will result in a binding poll at the next local government elections in 2025.

Council Chair Hinewai Ormsby said the decision to retain the constituencies was a significant step towards ensuring Māori representation and participation in the region's decision-making.....
See full article HERE

Māori wards: Hawke’s Bay, Rotorua and Taupō add to rising swell of support
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Rotorua Lakes and Taupō District Councils have decided to keep Māori wards.

That means they must have run a binding poll at the next local government elections in 2025......
See full article HERE

ECan stands firm on Ngāi Tahu representation
Environment Canterbury (ECan) has rejected a request from the Government to repeal Ngāi Tahu representation at the council table.

Regional councillors voted to retain the Ngāi Tahu councillors at a meeting on Wednesday, declining a request from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown to repeal the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Act 2022 by putting forward a local Bill.....
See full article HERE

Rotorua kapa haka group joins Luxon overseas
Rotorua kapa haka group Ngāti Rangiwewehi will accompany Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Malaysia and the Republic of Korea next week.

Long-time group member and former tutor Trevor Maxwell, who will accompany the 10 members chosen to represent the group, says it was an honour to accompany Christopher and help put Māori culture on the world stage....
See full article HERE

Tararua District Council votes to retain Māori ward
The Tararua District Council has voted to maintain a Māori seat at the decision-making table.

The council chamber was filled with people on Wednesday as councillors voted 8-2 to reaffirm its Māori ward. Councillors Steve Wallace and Michael Long voted against keeping it.....
See full article HERE

Planned marine title changes not Treaty compliant, Crown witness admits
The Crown's sole witness has told the Waitangi Tribunal the government's planned changes to customary marine title have not been Treaty compliant.

Wednesday was the third and final day of the tribunal's inquiry is underway.

Te Arawhiti / Office for Māori-Crown Relations deputy chief executive Tui Marsh acknowledged changes to the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 were likely to be complex and wide ranging.

"Engaging with Māori in a meaningful way is part of being treaty compliant," she said.

The tribunal is expected to deliver its report before the amendment bill is brought before Cabinet on 16 September.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
The Radicalisation of Local Government - Dr Muriel Newman.

Return of the Primitive – a world of ignorance and superstition - Gary Judd KC

Propaganda:
Iwi partnership highlighted with Tasman restoration award

Two iwi pen scathing open letter refuting Luxon’s Crown sovereignty claim

Future scientists and engineers soak up Stem seminar

Anger at customary title case reset  

Wednesday August 28, 2024 

News:
Luxon 'not hung up' on Peters' Treaty Principles Bill comments
The Prime Minister says he's "not hung up" on his deputy putting words in his mouth and muddying the waters on the Treaty Principles Bill.

Last week Christopher Luxon was clear at Koroneihana - the anniversary of the Māori King's coronation - that the bill had no future beyond first reading.

The next day he went further, saying National would vote the bill down at second reading - rather than letting it languish on the government's order paper for months or years to come.

But in the House on Wednesday Winston Peters, speaking on behalf of the prime minister, added confusion to the debate saying, "if there was prevailing compelling evidence to change one's mind, as a famous economist once said, when the facts change, I change my mind"....
See full article HERE

Treaty Negotiations Minister defends 5% of coastline comment
Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says his claim customary marine title will be reduced to 5 percent of the coastline was just part of "free-flowing discussion" and not based on any analysis.

Goldsmith made the comments at a private meeting with seafood industry representatives in May, which was also attended by Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones.

Luxon told RNZ's Morning Report the 5 percent comment was not right.

"I don't think he's right to say that there's a certain number that can be applied, because that will be determined by the courts," he said......
See full article HERE

Waipa supports Maori wards
Waipā councillors today voted to support Māori wards.

The decision means voters will be polled at next year’s local body elections on whether to continue with having an at large Waipā Māori ward in the district.....
See full article HERE

Brewery told to remove Kupe beer from sale
An Upper Hutt Brewery has been told to remove its Kupe beer from sale and take down associated promotion, after it was found to be in breach of advertising standards.

Te Aro Brewing named its Kupe New Zealand IPA after the Polynesian navigator as part of its Age of Discovery series - a limited range of beers showcasing historical explorers including Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan.

It also promoted the Kupe beer on its Facebook and Instagram accounts, including associating it with the Matariki holiday in June.

Concern about the product and its promotion was first raised in July, with Māori cultural advisor and tikanga expert, Dr Karaitiana Taiuru (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Toa) describing is as "highly offensive".....
See full article HERE

Māori constituency affirmed by Greater Wellington; poll triggered
Greater Wellington councillors have unanimously affirmed their resolution to establish a Māori constituency for local elections in 2025 and 2028.

The resolution was made in October 2023 with unanimous support from the regional council’s mana whenua partners.

Council chair Daran Ponter says today’s decision puts Greater Wellington “on the right side of history”.....
See full article HERE

Hastings District Council affirms Takitimu Māori Ward
Hastings district councillors unanimously resolved today to retain the Takitimu Māori ward, which means a binding poll on whether or not to retain this ward will be held at the same time as the 2025 local government election.

Council introduced its Māori Ward at the 2022 local body election after undertaking extensive community engagement to gauge support, which showed 76 per cent of participants were in favour.....
See full article HERE

Unanimous vote to keep Māori wards at Heretaunga District Council
The Heretaunga District Council today agreed unanimously to keep its Takitimu Māori ward.....
See full article HERE

Customary marine title: No comment from Crown witness on govt Treaty commitments
The Crown's witness chose not to comment when asked if the government was bound to respect Treaty principles at an urgent Waitangi Tribunal hearing into changes to customary marine title.

Te Arawhiti's deputy chief executive Tui Marsh, who was also responsible for Treaty reconciliation and Takutai Moana, was the Crown's sole witness on the second day of the hearing....
See full article HERE

Northland Regional Council keeps Māori ward, will consider refusing referendum
Deputy chair Tui Shortland was the first speaker to support retention.

“We are not just deciding on a matter of governance, we are deciding on the strength and future of our partnership with Māori communities.”

She called the ward a “critical bridge” between the council and tangata whenua, connections which she said were rooted in “trust, mutual respect, and shared responsibility”.....
See full article HERE

Horizons votes to keep Māori seats; poll law described as ‘racist’
Horizons Regional Council has voted to keep its Māori constituencies, with the chair and deputy chair describing new legislation to force binding public polls as racist.

Manawatū-Whanganui councillors in Palmerston North on Tuesday affirmed their two Māori constituencies for the 2025 election....
See full article HERE

Council votes to keep Rangiātea Māori Ward amid strong support
Ōtorohanga District Council (ŌDC) made a significant decision today to keep the Rangiātea Māori Ward, following strong support from our Elected Members and Iwi partners. Council decided to continue having two of our 10 members elected by voters on the Māori Electoral Roll.....
See full article HERE

Overnight stay stops Tarawera sewage pipeline
A rally against a sewage pipeline running beside an iconic Rotorua lake turned into an occupation overnight.

Te Whatanui Leka Skipworth from Tūhourangi hapu Ngāti Tumatawera says Rotorua Lakes District Council isn’t listening to the hapu’s concerns that the land around Lake Rotokākahi or the Green Lake was wahi tapu because it still contaings the remains of ancestors whose villages were covered by the 1886 Tarawera eruption....
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Labour acknowledges Māori did not cede sovereignty - Willie Jackson

Foreshore and seabed changes causing chaos and confusion, Waitangi Tribunal hears

‘Do Pākehā get stopped?’ Armed police flag down Māori priest on morning jog

No honour on coalition promises - Tamihere  

Tuesday August 27, 2024 

News:
Taranaki iwi propose two-year extension to shellfish ban
The iwi group behind a two-year ban on collecting shellfish along more than 60km of Taranaki coastline has applied to extend the rāhui for a further two years.

In a letter to the minister for oceans and fisheries and the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Taranaki iwi rāhui group said the extension was needed because “the unbridled exploitation of the past cannot be rebalanced and regenerated in 24 months”.

The letter stated that the ban on collecting kai mātaitai (shellfish) between Paritutu and Ōpunake began in January 2022 as an iwi-led rāhui in response to “unrestricted public pillaging”.....
See full article HERE

Iwi voice limited in Fast Track plan
Expert panels to advise government on new fast track resource consents will only include iwi if required to by treaty settlements in a given area.

That’s one of the tweaks to the controversial Fast track Bill anniounced yesterday by infrastracuture ministers Chris bishop and Shane Jones.

Decisions will be left to an expert panel rather than a troika of ministers.

Mr Jones says different settlements say different things about how iwi want to be included in resource management....
See full article HERE

Te reo Māori in news and current affairs at Te Reo Tātaki TVNZ
Te Reo Tātaki is TVNZ’s Māori name and means “the leading voice”. Te Reo Tātaki recognises Māori as indigenous peoples and as partners to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

TVNZ has a legislative requirement to reflect Māori perspectives and our internal rautaki Māori ensures we continue working toward that in an authentic way.

For news and current affairs (NCA) audiences this will be brought to life in several key areas of our work.

We will do our best to represent and reflect Māori perspectives in our reporting and not only in stories covering Māori-specific issues. This is enabled by te reo training for correct pronunciation along with greetings, terms of address, relevant protocols and basic cultural awareness.....
See full article HERE

Urgent Waitangi Tribunal hearing begins over coastal rights
A seventh urgent Waitangi Tribunal claim into the coalition government policies got underway in Wellington on Monday morning - this time focusing on changes to customary marine title.

The inquiry is set to run for three days, ending on Wednesday.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Māori Wards - why I don’t think Palmerston North should have them - Leonie Hapeta

Propaganda:
Adopting Māori Values Could Go Further - Uni of Canterbury

AUT open day: Breaking down barriers to higher education for rangatahi Māori

Tasman’s SuperSteward Award Reaffirms Partnership Values

City centre turns a new page for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori and Mahuru Māori - Auckland

Ara Celebrates Growth In Māori Ākonga

Hipkins: ‘Māori did not cede sovereignty’

Young Labour Calls On The Government With Exasperation To Toitū Te Tiriti 

Monday August 26, 2024

News:
Leaked meeting notes suggest major shake-up for foreshore and seabed law
A law change is set to result in only 5% of New Zealand's coastline being awarded as customary marine title, documents obtained by 1News suggest.

The suggestion was made by Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith in a private meeting with Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones and seafood industry representatives in May.

They discussed potential changes to the Marine and Coastal Area Act, legislation that allows Māori to apply for certain customary rights over the foreshore and seabed.

"Changing the section 58 test should reduce the 100% of coastline subject to customary marine title to 5%," Goldsmith told them......
See full article HERE

Taranaki Regional Council to retain Māori constituency councillor
Taranaki regional councillors have voted unanimously in favour of retaining the council’s Māori constituency.

The motion to keep it was put forward by Taranaki Regional Council chairwoman Charlotte Littlewood and seconded by Councillor Neil Walker at the council’s ordinary meeting on August 6.

A recent Government legislative change, required councils with Māori wards or constituencies set up since 2020 to decide, by September 6, to either disestablish the seat or hold a binding referendum in the 2025 local government elections.....
See full article HERE


This Breaking Views Update monitors race relations in the media on a weekly basis. New material is added regularly. If you would like to send Letters to the Editor in response to any of these articles, most media addresses can be found HERE

13 comments:

Robert Arthur said...

At least until Sept 2025 would expect maori ward councillors to behave very responsibly. However I would not count on. Paniora has made it clear that the public good is not their motivation. The temptation for mana gaining tweaks of colonist descendants is irresistible for many. If nothing else the maori ward era will leave a legacy of rambling memory stretching maori names , all preserved in extravagant dual name plaques. Displaced councillors, with experience gained, will doubtless seek to create and fill consultation positions (paid).

robert Arthur said...


Whilst, judging from the old TV programmes, it is entirely appropriate, I am astonished Taranaki maori are applying and meeting cost of policing of a shellfish rahui . Are they anticipating and preparing for the coming monopoly under the pending Customary coast laws? Presumably customary catch is currently banned alongside all else. How do they survive without?

Robert Arthur said...

Aug 27 TVNZ seems determined on hari kari. Very many viewers have vacated, gratuitous te reo playing a large part in their departure. The remainers are held largely by the news roundup, despite this being needlessly protracted and embellished. Inserting yet more te reo and further endless emphasis on matters maori, trivial and a bore to many, will finish the service. With dedicated maori tv available it is absurd that so much maori navel gazing is inflicted on the general population. When maori get their clutches on Country Calendar my tv days wil be entirely over. Whilst other govt organisations are reducing maori twaddle and associated staff, TVNZ is set for growth.
Meanwhile RNZ continues as if there has been no election. In the very many pro maori programmes several commentators have dismissed statements in the recent Hobsons Pledge newspaper advert. No attempt is made to present the obvious and well known counters .Balance goes when matters maori are involved.

Ray S said...

One hopes that the shellfish collecting ban applies to all persons, not just whitey.
As an aside, have a look at the photo in the article, don't see any Maori faces.

robert Arthur said...

28th. It seems to me the many votes to adopt or retain maori wards meantime is only to be expected. Only the most brave and confrontational dare oppose for fear of tikanga/utu style cancellation. With a public vote looming most are assured the wards will go anyway, so few are sticking their necks out. The problem is that, to the very many naive, a completely false impression of real views is conveyed.

Anonymous said...

Luxon is a cop-out. Why can't we get a referendum on something this important? If labour gets back in there will be very dark times for those who remain here.

Robert arthur said...

re 29th. With the current fashion to examine all aspects of Police (and every other organisation's) actions hunting determinedly for a statistical bias against maori, I trust police fully report and include every incident where maori act in a way which could/should provoke violence. From the old TV programme (Police Five O?) the propensity of maori for trouble was made very clear. Perhaps correlation between number of times the haka performed by individuals and complaints of police violence should be statistically examined.
Whilst over the last few decades artful organised maori political action has been very much to their advantage, I nevertheless marvel at the number of associated regional and nation wide meetings for maori. How do attenders find the time? There seems little comparable for other racial groups. I guess the availability of state subsidised insurgency coordination centres (marae) greatly facilitates.

Anonymous said...

"Iwi write to PM demanding recognition Māori did not cede sovereignty"?
And our PM wrote back and said you are correct, but that's because Maori didn't have sovereignty to cede, as Britain had already obtained sovereignty by jure gentium (Law of Nations) with the 1839 Royal Charter/Letters Patent for New Zealand and New South Wales.
This is why our Chief Justice Prendergast in 1877 ruled the TOW a simple nullity. This ruling has never been overturned.

Anonymous said...

So iwi have written to PM Luxon demanding recognition Māori did not cede sovereignty - DEMANDING! That about says it all. Here's hoping we have turned a corner - that our PM has finally woken up to the fact that he needs to lead the way on curbing the gravy train and putting right the damage done to this Country by successive governments acceding to the insidious pressure from these separatist nasties and the activist Tribunal.

Anonymous said...

Imagine if the activists get what they want. The Nz govt says they no longer have authority to govern and will give the country back to iwi who form a new govt under tribal rule. Britain gives residency to many
eligible kiwis and a further 2 million relocate to australia. Crime and anarchy in the streets are rampant. The nz economy is floored Houses and farms are occupied by tribal groups. . This is apparently what the activists are asking for. Either go this way, or keep nz as a liberal democracy. There is no half-way, wokey, let's tweak democracy option that will work. People are sick of the activists and not knowing what will happen.

Robert Arthur said...

Until the 2025 vote, the more perceptive of maori ward reps will find life tedious. Instead of working relentlessly to block various initiatives and to impose long leg pull mana gaining te reo names everywhere, extreme restraint and even constructive effort and contribution to the greater interest and good will be prudent pursuits. Possibly some will mange this. Whether likely to persist if voted to continue, the public will have to assess.

Anonymous said...

With respect to the piece about "A group of Pākehā calling themselves Te Tiriti Is Us wants to have an adult conversation with Act leader David Seymour about his proposed Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill. Blake said Seymour’s bill is driving a wedge between Māori and non-Māori."
I for one find the term Pākehā to be one root cause of division and racism - the term is clearly intended to be derisory and imply that brown is good and non-brown is bad. So, where exactly is the divisive rhetoric coming from, go figure!
As for the group using the descriptors senior and adult - clearly a case of applying gross oxymorons. Blind Freddie can work out from the Littlewood draft, Sir Apirana's interpretation and the Young translation that the "modern" twisting of the meaning of the Treaty Preamble/Articles is nothing remotely like their take. I would posit that it is they, not David Seymour and the Act Party, who are deliberate making mischievous use of untrue information.

anonymous said...

Wait - a Labour/Green/ TPM govt might confiscate/block
your assets. you can leave - but without money to survive.
As on Zimbabwe.

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