Stephen Mark Gaskell writes > If you thought your council rates just paid for roads, rubbish, and the odd library, think again. In modern New Zealand, rates are less about fixing potholes and more about fixing your mindset one Māori engagement strategy and rainbow pedestrian crossing at a time.
Council rates are based on your property's Capital Value (CV) essentially the estimated market value of your land and home. The higher your CV compared to others in your area, the more you pay. But the amount you pay also depends on how much the council needs to collect, and let’s just say their definition of “needs” has become impressively creative.
Take Auckland Council as an example. They're SPENDING UP TO $20 MILLION A YEAR ON "MĀORI OUTCOMES," including iwi consultations, te reo signage, karakia at meetings, and a department called Ngā Mātārae (no, it’s not a new Pokémon). This is all in service of Treaty obligations, which have evolved from honouring historical agreements to funding cultural ceremonies, co-governance bodies with seats on boards based on race not merit, and bilingual bus shelters.
But the spending doesn’t stop at cultural guilt. Councils now routinely fund LGBTQ+ "safe spaces," Pride parades, diversity officers, and rainbow flags flapping outside town halls. You might think these events could be privately funded but don’t worry, you get the honour of sponsoring inclusivity with your rates bill.
In the end, while your leaking pipes wait their turn, rest assured that council priorities are firmly set on creating a more “inclusive” city even if that includes less asphalt and more activism.
Take Auckland Council as an example. They're SPENDING UP TO $20 MILLION A YEAR ON "MĀORI OUTCOMES," including iwi consultations, te reo signage, karakia at meetings, and a department called Ngā Mātārae (no, it’s not a new Pokémon). This is all in service of Treaty obligations, which have evolved from honouring historical agreements to funding cultural ceremonies, co-governance bodies with seats on boards based on race not merit, and bilingual bus shelters.
But the spending doesn’t stop at cultural guilt. Councils now routinely fund LGBTQ+ "safe spaces," Pride parades, diversity officers, and rainbow flags flapping outside town halls. You might think these events could be privately funded but don’t worry, you get the honour of sponsoring inclusivity with your rates bill.
In the end, while your leaking pipes wait their turn, rest assured that council priorities are firmly set on creating a more “inclusive” city even if that includes less asphalt and more activism.
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Mandates Are Tyranny: When the Left Doesn’t Win.
Steven Mark Gaskell writes > Funny how democracy is sacred until the vote doesn’t go your way. In California, ICE enforces border laws under a mandate Republicans ran and won on, and suddenly it’s a full blown human rights crisis, complete with riots, hand wringing professors, and people chaining themselves to bus stops in the name of “justice.” Apparently, enforcing immigration law is only acceptable when it’s ignored.
Meanwhile, in New Zealand, voters gave a clear mandate in 2023 to pull back on racially divisive policies and restore equal treatment under the law. Cue the outrage: “Racism! Colonisation! Aotearoa under attack!” Because of course, when the people elect a government to trim the sails of the Waitangi Tribunal and question Māori-exclusive perks, it’s not democracy it’s fascism. Funny how the rules always change depending on who’s holding the megaphone.
Meanwhile, in New Zealand, voters gave a clear mandate in 2023 to pull back on racially divisive policies and restore equal treatment under the law. Cue the outrage: “Racism! Colonisation! Aotearoa under attack!” Because of course, when the people elect a government to trim the sails of the Waitangi Tribunal and question Māori-exclusive perks, it’s not democracy it’s fascism. Funny how the rules always change depending on who’s holding the megaphone.
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More Cultural Hui, Fewer Potholes: Ratepayers Foot the Bill (Again)
Steven Mark Gaskell writes > Well, folks, it’s that time of year again when the rates we pay for fixing roads, keeping parks tidy, and making sure the bins are emptied, take a detour. This time? To fund another cultural hui where the who’s who of the Māori elite gather to commemorate someone who passed away nearly a century ago.
Thanks to the New Plymouth District Council’s Community Events Grant generously funded by the local ratepayer (you) a grand event will be held complete with a hari mate rā ceremony, political forums, and discussions on Puanga, reo, and health. Oh, and let’s not forget the all important talk about “maintaining iwi relationships throughout the motu.” Because if there’s one thing local councils should be doing, it’s funding nationwide iwi networking events.
The event is centred around commemorating Tā Māui Pōmare, a respected historical figure to be sure but one who died in 1930. If there’s a pressing local need in 2025, it’s clearly a weekend retreat to reminisce about centuryold politics. Forget infrastructure, forget cost of living pressures what the community really needs is another talking circle.
NPDC’s own Community and Economic Development Manager, Damien Clark, says this is all about “building a Sustainable Lifestyle Capital.” Apparently, nothing says sustainability like ratepayer funded forums on identity politics and historical grievances.
Applications for this pot of cultural gold are open until July 6, so if you’ve got a project that checks all the buzzword boxes community, vibrancy, well-being then step right up. Just don’t ask for help sealing a pothole. That’s not in the budget.
The truly sad part? This isn’t a one off. Nope this kind of thing is happening every single day. Ratepayer cash is quietly funnelled into yet another "culturally significant" hui, wānanga, or commemorative gathering that ticks all the boxes of the modern Maorification machine. All wrapped in a layer of feel-good buzzwords like "vibrancy," "well being," and "community engagement" while the roads crumble and the cost of living soars
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Steven Mark Gaskell writes > Let’s get something straight: opposing co governance, race-based entitlements, and preferential legal status for one group over another isn’t “anti-Māori” it’s called equality.
But of course, if you dare to say that out loud, cue the outrage from the Wellington wine bar class and the usual media talking heads. According to them, the public voting overwhelmingly for a government promising to roll back race based policy was basically an act of hate speech. Never mind the fact that more Māori voted for National and ACT combined than Te Pāti Māori got votes full stop.
What this coalition is dismantling isn't Māori culture, heritage, or rights it's a publicly funded gravy train built on identity politics and elite academic theory, not grassroots Māori aspirations.
The average working class Māori doesn’t benefit from some obscure iwi governance board signing MOU deals with the local council. They want what everyone else wants: jobs, housing, healthcare, and respect.
But the left has turned Māori into a political shield cry "colonialism!" every time someone questions why one ethnic group gets extra say over water rights or constitutional policy.
So no, it's not anti Māori. It's anti hierarchy. It's anti division. It's anti the notion that two passports exist in one country based on ancestry.
The majority of Kiwis, Māori included, are done with being told they’re "racist" for simply wanting a government that treats everyone equally under one law.
That’s not hate. That’s democracy.
The real racism is assuming Māori can’t thrive without permanent special status.
Time to end the victimhood industry and get back to being one people, not a permanently divided people.
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Steven Mark Gaskell writes > Apparently, the “darkest day in New Zealand democracy” wasn’t when the government locked you in your house, banned gatherings, shut down Parliament, censored dissenting views, and turned neighbours into state informants. No according to the pearl-clutching left, it was when three Te Pāti Māori MPs were briefly suspended from Parliament for, you know, breaking the rules of Parliament. Yes, the horror! Imagine a world where even activists in Parliament aren’t exempt from consequences. How undemocratic.
Let’s get a grip. The real democratic backslide didn’t come from a procedural vote in a cross-party committee it came when Jacinda Ardern used a public health emergency to centralise power, marginalise opposition, and demand compliance at all costs. Meanwhile, the same people now wailing about finger guns and poetic protests were cheering on vaccine mandates, MIQ human rights violations, and media funding with strings attached. But sure, let’s all cry about “colonial violence” because the Speaker dared to maintain basic order in the House.
Darkest day? - Please. - TPM weren’t exiled to Siberia they were temporarily suspended for disrespecting the very institution they swore to uphold. Maybe next time, if they want to change the system, they should try winning more votes instead of rewriting the rules of engagement mid-haka.
8 comments:
Few citizens have the time or inclination to pursue one or two
few of the public monitor more than one or two
websites if any, hence the great virtue of BV with its asembly from many sources.. This recent summarising extension reveals just how many considered, reasoned views contrary to the msm are out there. Presumably the large teams of political party Press staff monitor most outlets. But the msm is so doggedly determined to present the pro Labour/ pro maori line one wonders if thePress staff ecver look beyond their own pontifications. I suppose their approach keeps life simple and so within their ability.
Of course these Maori activists who have promoted Maorification in government and councils have names like Packer, Clarke, Ferris, Jackson and Charters( to name just a very few). How stupid are New Zealanders to embrace this nonsense which is costing them millions of dollars. What a total rort introducing all this into our everyday lives when most of these people are probably more European than Maori.
As an example of the ridiculous extent the Wellington wokes have taken over, here is brief extract from the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand website:-
"We achieve our mission. 1. Whakataukī are proverbial sayings where the author who first expressed the proverb is unknown. Whakatauākī, are expressions where the author IS known. “Whakahaumaruhia katoatia te waka e te tangata.” The safety and integrity of the whole waka is maintained by the absolute integrity of everyone within the waka.
Governance Charter Te Pou Whakamana Kaimatū o Aotearoa The Pharmacy Council of New Zealand 1 truth. In this case the people are Te Pou Whakamana Kaimatū o Aotearoa and the cause is to ensure that everyone acts with such integrity that we achieve our mission. 1. Whakataukī are proverbial sayings where the author who first expressed the proverb is unknown. Whakatauākī, are expressions where the author IS known. “Whakahaumaruhia katoatia te waka e te tangata.” The safety and integrity of the whole waka is maintained by the absolute integrity of everyone within the waka. – Nā Dee Isaacs Whakatauākī Our whakatauākī 3 defines the principles by which we want to work together."
Wring this twaddle contributes to GDP....so it must be good.
I am a retired pharmacist (50+ years practice) and the above gibberish from the Pharmacy Council is a nonsense.
The practice of pharmacy is about the safe and accurate dispensing of medicines. That's it !!
No faux Maori meaningless gibberish.
I just cannot understand how the Pharmacy Council is not laughed out of existence by its members and told to grow up
It's all part of that thriving Maori economy - you know, the one our PM is enthralled by and holds out as something we should all admire and aspire to replicate.
Wouldn't we all like others money 'directed' our way that's either tax free or at a 'special' reduced rate?
The reason, Anon, is that the Council has strong punitive powers and would likely suspend any pharmacist who spoke up. But I can assure that members do hold the Council in contempt. They just don't voice it.
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