This isn't a stray incident or emotional overreaction it’s becoming a calculated political strategy.
From Rule Changes to Crying Foul
Take the most recent case: Te Pāti Māori’s urgent legal challenge over claims that Māori voters have been wrongly removed from the electoral roll or shifted off the Māori roll without consent. Despite the Electoral Commission firmly stating it does not move anyone without their request, and that 92% of roll updates were made online by voters themselves, allegations of “rorting” have been shouted from the rooftops.
Even Labour MP Duncan Webb is now asking the Auditor-General to investigate, seemingly fanning the flames of suspicion rather than reinforcing trust in our electoral system.
What’s conveniently omitted in this political theatre is that the controversy stems from the previous Labour Government's change to electoral law allowing voters of Māori descent to switch between the Māori and General roll at any time except during the three months before an election. The new government’s plan to keep that rule in place but shorten the enrolment deadline from election day to the Sunday before advance voting starts is now being framed not as a policy difference, but as racist suppression.
A Broader Pattern of Post-Democratic Grievance
We’ve seen this before.
When Three Waters was repealed, it wasn’t taken as a result of a change in government policy it was called colonial theft. Iwi leaders and co-governance advocates spoke of “cultural violence” and promised resistance.
When referenda on Māori wards were proposed a move to return decision-making to the voting public the reaction was outrage. Democratic input was suddenly branded racist.
After the 2023 election, Te Pāti Māori declared the outcome a sign of a “colonial underbelly,” dismissing the will of the majority of voters as a threat to Māori, instead of acknowledging it as a normal shift in political winds.
This is the pattern: any democratic result that doesn’t prioritise tribal interests is delegitimised. Not debated, not critiqued declared invalid, racist, or oppressive.
Weaponising Identity Against Democracy
This is not a defence of ignorance or prejudice. Nobody denies the historical and ongoing injustices faced by Māori, or the need for serious discussion about partnership and fairness. But when political elites exploit that history to shield themselves from democratic accountability, it becomes something else entirely.
The tribal elite and their political allies are effectively saying: “We believe in democracy as long as it doesn’t interfere with our authority.” That’s not democracy. That’s manipulation.
Time to Call It What It Is
New Zealanders can and should support equality and justice for all without accepting the erosion of democratic norms. The growing trend of contesting every loss as illegitimate is not activism it’s a soft form of authoritarianism.
This isn’t about Māori versus non-Māori. It’s about political elites tribal or otherwise refusing to accept the limits of their influence in a democratic society.
We must call it what it is: political manipulation dressed up as cultural grievance.
If democracy is to mean anything, it must apply equally even when some don’t like the result.
Steven is an entrepreneur and an ex RNZN diver who likes travelling, renovating houses, Swiss Watches, history, chocolate art and art deco.
10 comments:
Unfortunately our leaders can’t, or don’t want to see it for what it is. As for National gaining power last election, I would vouch it had everything to do with race relations firstly, then the economy and Luxon is the wrong person leading our country. Whenever National has meddled with racial issues, they’ve got it wrong.
What ongoing injustices faced by Maori? What partnership? Otherwise a good article.
A major problem is that the msm, including RNZ, do not condemn but give publicity to the assertions.of maori. A minor example is the outlandish statements arising from the removal from the learning list for basic Englishs of a book spattered with maori words
All assisted by the overtly sycophantic PAWGs as they cheerlead toward their very own 2nd class of citizenship as a 'settler rentier class'.
Commenters seem to be at various stages in their understanding of the Maorification of New Zealand. The most astute observers will realise this is almost a fait accompli. This is because it's not just some of the populace pushing for this, which would make it manageable, it's also politicians of many shapes and hues(either wittingly or unwittingly). A large percentage of the population are totally uninformed still. The only way to stop this would be to have a "totally anti-Maorification PM and political party". Look how slowly the politicians drag their feet on restoring the seabed and foreshore to all New Zealanders. The radical foot is firmly wedged in the door at this point.
The Maori elites and our traitorous politicians are cementing in a huge resistance in NZ society. From te lingo overkill to compulsory cultural courses to keep your job. People are angry and looking for change. We need a radical leader who will be followed en masse if they offer a pathway to sanity. Who will it be?
The tribal elite consider all others their servants and slaves. That we are to weak to push back just reinforces our lack of power and why we don't deserve to be treated as equals.
If you want to see the real problem, check the mirror. Plus the white quislings that make up our public service.
Referendum now - democracy for NZ not ethnocracy.
These days one must take exception to the description’liberal democracy’. Like so many other previously intact words, such as rainbow, it has been commandeered by the radical left to mean something other than its original meaning to soothe their sensitive souls. ‘Safe’ is another word. ‘Freedom of speech’ another.
What nz needs is a ‘secular democracy, secular education (devoid of the cults of Maori mythology, trans identity and pronouns) and a public service (including universities ) that eschews politics.
Adding to what Robert Bird said. “about partnership and fairness” there is no “partnership” and they are to be treated as fairly as any other subject of the British crown/citizen of New Zealand.
Let’s call anything else what it is, racism.
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