And don’t we justly feel we have the right to hold our elected officials accountable for the promises they make during campaigns?
If it can be demonstrated that the party knowingly or recklessly made a promise that they knew probably could not be fulfilled, what ability do we as the people who handed the levers of power to the errant politicians have to make them accountable for reckless promises?
Do you think it should be possible to pursue legal action against the party if they fail to deliver on their promise? Or do you think that it is sufficient to hold them accountable through the 3-year election cycle?
A politician making a promise and you voting for him does not create a legal contract.
With our political system relying more on coalitions or consensus, thus the ability to hold politicians “feet to the fire” diminishes. With our MMP system the party list arrangement leads to a disconnect between MPs and the people they are supposed to represent, as list MPs are not directly accountable to their constituents as electorate MPs are.
If a politician does not keep his promises, you simply don't vote for him next time. Unfortunately, it is another 18 months before we can demonstrate our discontent and frustration to our current political leadership.
Disturbingly all of the above matters not one iota when the democratically elected government, for nearly 3 years, takes the nation down a path that was, on no occasion, divulged in campaigning. Especially when, very strong indicators pointed to the opposite standpoint being taken!
So, are we being confronted with something considerably more devious than normal broken political promises, something more sinister?
I am referring to lies by omission.
Lying by omission is the act of leaving out crucial information in an attempt to mislead someone. Lying by omission is a form of deception that is not easily identified because everything you’re saying is actually true. However, it doesn’t paint the full picture.
What you are not saying is the lie!
Now I contend this act of lying by omission could be particularly germane to Chris Luxon and the National Party’s 2023 election campaign.
During the 2023 election campaign Luxon made very few statements on co-governance but when he did, they were emphatic and unequivocable -
· "National’s position on co-governance is clear and will be applied by us in government.” (1)
· “We do not support co-governance of public services.” (1)
· “We are one country, we deliver our public services to people on the basis of need, not ethnicity.” (1)
· If it is genuinely about co-governance of the delivery of public services, that's something that I feel uncomfortable with.” (2)
· “…it was a "challenging" topic, and the prime minister and government needed to make the case to the public if it was going to push ahead.” (2)
So, what I am trying to illustrate is that those very narrow and defined statements around co-governance by Chris Luxon, made in the election campaign were, in reality, cleverly designed to create an impression of “National will be resolute on the cessation and removal of co-governance” without identifying his actual agenda of ensuring Māori programmes will be given precedence, Maori are fully involved in decision-making and will be partnering with government in many of the functions of governance.
A half-truth is a whole lie!
In March 2022 Luxon stated "I think there is a real need for us to have a genuine, high-quality conversation around co-governance ... when you don't take the people with you, and you don't frame up what it's about, as a result you leave people behind and it drives more division." (2)
I have not heard one single sentence relating to a “high-quality conversation around co-governance” ever leave Luxon’s mouth! Yet regularly we see co-governance, albeit in varying disguises, being systematically implemented.
Unless of course you would classify “…there is nothing in the Treaty Principles Bill I like” as a “high-quality conversation around co-governance”
Frequently we read or see further proof of Prime Minister Luxon’s agenda to appease, sponsor and advance the cause of the Maori sovereignty movement?
Is Luxon’s “don’t upset Maori” thinking naive? Very!
Is Luxon’s path of appeasement irresponsible? Extremely!
Is Luxon’s sponsorship of co-governance dangerous? Incalculably!
Of particular concern currently regarding Chris Luxon’s/National’s advancement of all things Maori, is the recent announcement by Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka, of a new committee to work on formally integrating tikanga Māori into Parliament.
A substantial issue and a matter of great consequence such as this would not be just the product of Minister Potaka’s enterprise. It would be a proposal fully supported by the Prime Minister.
This move represents another major threat to democracy and of He Puapua becoming a reality in New Zealand. If tikanga were to stop simply at aspects of parliamentary ceremonial process that might just be acceptable. But we all know it will not stop there.
The inexact and malleable nature of tikanga gives enormous power to Maori activists to reshape parliamentary legislation to suit their purposes. If our Westminster parliamentary system is to survive it must do so with clarity of process and this would appear to be now seriously at risk.
It is now clear for all to see, Chris Luxon has become He Puapua’s unwavering and most influential sponsor!
National voters have been seriously disenfranchised by Prime Minister Luxon and the National Party.
I believe it is becoming impossible not to say the Prime Minister, ably assisted by the Minister for Māori Development, are campaigners and advocates for the maorification of New Zealand!
"I believe in constitutional issues - you spend your political capital, you make your case, and you take people with you." (3)
That being the case, we must ask the Prime Minister why is he not leading a constitutional discussion that would give clarity to Treaty of Waitangi Principles, a discussion that would again unify New Zealanders and enhance trust in his government?
Under Luxon’s leadership National are now burning their political capital at a prodigious rate! For me and many others the gauge is hovering just outside the red sector and the big E!
Is Luxon’s control over the National caucus so powerful that no caucus member is prepared to confront Luxon’s failure to read the room, his failure to listen and engage with the concerns of his party’s electors?
Or is it simply the status, perquisites and remuneration the role delivers that holds a greater attraction than actually providing support for democracy and its adherents?
That is what they were elected to do wasn’t it?
Can we ever trust the National Party again?
John F Kennedy, in 1962, could have been talking to Chris Luxon when stating, “For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people."
John Porter is a citizen, deeply concerned about the incremental loss of democracy and the insidious promotion of separatism.
References
31 comments:
John, Thank you so much for taking the time to write this piece. I just do not understand National/luxon. Someone from the media has to ask for some answers.
Unfathomable how National appear happy to ignore the people and continue towards the demise of a once great country.
That is a very good point. This is the first time in my mature life that I am considering alternatives to National.
Luxon said to the reporters following him: 'Don't worry guys, we are going to spike the bill!", referring of course to the TPB. The fact that a Prime Minister doesn't believe in any aspect of the bill is unbelievable to many.
Watching that video, one would have to believe that Luxon is for co-governance. Then we had the submissions to the TPB. Supposedly, 10-1 against, whereas the polls said most New Zealanders were in favour of the bill. The submitters in favour were summarily dismissed, but they certainly had rational, coherent arguments.
The only conclusion I can draw is that he doesn't see the Maorification of our country as presenting a danger. This is so wrong, any form of apartheid can only end in tears. In a recent video I saw him standing in front of what looked like a newly opened Maori Health centre. Separate Maori Health, anyone? Why would health be separate? Will "white" New Zealanders take it open themselves to open a "white" health centre?
As we don't have a MSM reporting truthfully on these matters, it is going to be the burden of each and every New Zealander to fight for their democratic rights at the next election.
Correct.
That said one ponders the idea that given National's weakness on its promises and maybe even lies has NZF and ACT sitting waiting for the voter base to split away from National and into their camps thus providing them with greater share of the cake come election time......
Labour has a major credibility problem with its necessitated requirement to entangle itself with the Greens and the party that thinks it represents maori and many voters on the centre left will either not vote, or will vote NZF or Act as they can never bring themselves to vote National.
National has a voter base problem now because of their 'stance' on 'maorification' which will see votes bleed to their coalition partners. NZF and ACT sit silent because why would they interupt the thing that brings them more power.
Even now Shane Jones says all the 'right' things that the 'right' want to hear that they do not hear from from National.
Luxon and National are either on board with the 'room' who vote for them or they are willingly not and the outcome may very well see them become what Labour are now to their once working man voter base......no longer representative.
Smouldering resentment and burning anger are fuelling my daily thoughts. How dare these traitorous politicians, all of them since John Key's government, deceive us so badly. To let our beautiful and prosperous country slide into tribal rule is a most unfortunate outcome. I can't see anything preventing a huge fight over this now. MC
Yorkshiremen are well known for their no-nonsense, hard hitting attitude to life. One I worked with wanted to see two votes at election time, to encourage a better performance from M.P.s. The first was for the candidate you wanted to be in the next government, the second was for the M.P. that you thought was the most useless at their job in the last parliament.
After the votes had been counted, the three worst M.P.s from the previous govt. were taken out and shot.
His idea does have some merit but the "sanction" might be seen as a tad harsh.
This contribution is absolute gold and should be inserted in media weekly by public donation and subscription. Thank you John Porter.
Well said!
Great piece John. So so accurate and on point.
Basil, the MSM is so corrupt that paid political right of far left advertising will not be accepted.
Again, John has hit the mark - thank you for your irrudite article.
It's such a pity that only a tiny percentage of the population will read it, and that is only because it only published here not in the MSM.
This morning on Hosking, Luxon talks about the "middle" voter, and only focusing on the economy. Does he really think the middle voter does not care about the very big issues around the treaty????????????
2026: Can 2 parties - now about 18 people between them - assemble full lists so that they have candidates in each electorate? ACT and NZF are the only hope.
The sanction is not at all harsh, rather just many might say.
When Luxon failed to mention co-governance as an issue on his radar at a pre-election meeting with our local candidate of the time, it cost that candidate our votes. We have since appraised the chap who became our MP regardless of this fact but have never had a response. That aside, having observed our errant PM and his actions/inactions since we quickly came to the conclusion that he is fully supportive of co-governance and wonder why. Surely someone who is "sorted" as he claims would not be recieving a backhander from the Maori activist cause or do they have something on him? No sane person would be selling NZ up the river like he is. Still mulling over his motivations but whatever they are, John Porter's analysis above is spot on as to the effects of what Luxon and Potaka inc. are doing and it has to be called out repeatedly in as many forums as we can muster since the MSM are bloody useless.
There seems to be good reason to believe that both Key and Luxon were ‘parachuted in’ to National to follow a preplanned agenda. Destroy the existing NZ culture and replace it with Māori-controlled tribalism. Of course that was, and is, also the Labour programme. Clearly there has to be a powerful motive behind all this. One can only speculate.
Thank you John Porter for your excellent summary this should of course be reported on MSM for ALL NZrs to read and absorb
An exercise in inert leadership
—————————————————-
Chris Luxon shuffled onto the stage of political irrelevance wearing his best look of managerial earnestness — that of a man who thinks leadership is just chairing a meeting slightly louder than the last guy. The Prime Minister, who once promised to “get things done,” is now chiefly occupied by watching them happen.
Co-governance? Still here. Maori place names still cropping up on government logos like unsolicited LinkedIn requests. Luxon blinked. He’d asked Tama Potaka to “have a look,” which in this government means “put it in a folder and hope ACT forgets.”
In Parliament, things are culturally unhinged. The tea Party belts out waiata every other Wednesday like it’s a dress rehearsal for Te Matatini: The Musical, and the Greens are practically running a kaitiakitanga cabaret between climate bills. Luxon, ever the office manager, said he would “speak to the Speaker,” which is Wellington code for “absolutely nothing will be done.”
TVNZ and RNZ continue their bilingual bender. Newsreaders confidently pronounce oamaru and opotiki while viewers in Ashburton choke on their Weet-Bix. Luxon promised to “look into” the cultural tilt of state media — and promptly formed a working group with the urgency of a man Googling “what is Te Tiriti” during his lunch break.
Even David Seymour, whose idea of fun is a colour-coded spreadsheet called “Stuff I Want to Ban,” is beginning to twitch. “Why,” he wonders aloud, “have we not put all this tikanga nonsense into a culturally secure holding pen, ideally in Invercargill?”
Luxon nods solemnly and books another meeting. Speaker Brownlee raises his eyebrows as his eyes droop sleepily.
The PM tried to assert control, but sounded like a man trying to project authority while asking if the projector is working. “We support Māori aspirations,” he droned, “but we also support accountability.” No one knew what that meant, least of all Luxon. Possibly another business term he’d repurposed for nationhood.
And so New Zealand sails on, its Prime Minister furrowing his brow like a mildly disappointed regional manager, while another haka breaks out and RNZ updates its style guide to include macrons and manaakitanga.
Chris Luxon — the man who promised a reset, but delivered a polite shrug.
Anonymous at 2.40. I love it. You have Brownlee to a T.
Exactly, maybe someone could prod him to see if he is still breathing? Well, the degree of inertia on the things which matter is stupifying!
As he said, "there's nothing in there (the TPB) I like." The first principle was for Parliament to govern for the benefit of all. He doesn't "like" that, so he must want separate Governments governing for the benefit of some - aka, He Puapua. He is a traitor to our democracy and country, and I despise him. He so needs to be gone - as too his sidekick, Potaka, who clearly thinks similarly.
We are in a Constitutional Crisis, and for us it stated in 1986 when New Zealand’s parliament seized absolute power and enthroned itself as “the Crown”. It never went to a public vote, and ever since 1986, ruling politicians have done whatever they liked.
For Australia it started in 1973 and Canada is in the same situation.
Constitutional Crisis with Australia's Rod Culleton & Canada's Peter R Mac Isaac who discuss the ways in which the people of the Commonwealth have been misled.
https://rumble.com/v6suz0v-constitutional-crisis.html?
I view Potaka as a pseudo Geheime Staatspolizei (abbreviated Gestapo) plant within the National Party. His primary role is to keep his 'leader' (that's a joke) toeing the Party line and I'm not talking about the National Party.
Yes, I feel certain National has been lying by omission re its support of maorification, including co-governance, tikanga, indecision on foreshore and seabed, and te reo ad nauseam. Just what it is National is not telling us I can’t be sure, but I have commented here before that it feels very much like the public interest journalism fund before we understood what that funding entailed - i.e. the money came with contracts to support the treaty, promote the “partnership” myth and the newly minted te reo language or the funding would have to be repaid. Just as it was hard to understand back then why the media was suddenly so biased, it is similarly difficult now to understand National’s behaviour. What aren’t they telling us? Have they made some kind of deal with the likes of the iwi chairs forum perhaps? We are simply not seeing the kind of change this country voted for. Why not?
Will it be possible to discuss these issues in detail before the next election?
National : Labour lite - impossible to conclude otherwise given the slow and equivocal action.
Agree with pretty much everything said here. I think National has been a big part of the problem long before now but has given the appearance of being otherwise. There is something deeply wrong with that party .. it no longer represents anything really, and certainly not its voters. A bit like the Conservative party in the UK it has completely lost its way and drifted from its base. It cannot be trusted ... at least Labour is public in its idiocy and its corruption ... National has been cloak and dagger here.
Nats (like most Nats I know) will simply have to hold their noses and vote ACT or NZ First. No other choice.
Well done John.
Luxon’s single term will be remembered for preserving the last disastrous Govt’s policies.
ACT and NZF had better start recruiting candidates as of now.
The huge difference between NZ and Britain and all First World countries is that democracy for them is assured and not about to be surreptitiously stolen from the voters.
Luxon and his cronies have to go.
How much pressure is required ?
Luxboi ‘My wife and I are learning Te Reo’ Luxon is what Americans call a ‘Wigger.’ A sellout who rats out his own race and culture to cross the floor and line up with people whom the Marxist racemongers who have taken over our social discourse, have helped him to see as ‘oppressed.’
Odious little public virtue-signalling berk.
David Seymour is looking increasingly Prime Ministerial, and we can only hope that in the next election, NZ voters desert the stinking Nats in droves to make ACT the largest party on our side of the aisle.
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