This is a companion piece to my just-published Ghettoizing the mind. Both were stimulated by Dr Muriel Newman’s feature article, The Future of the Maori Seats in which she carefully marshalled nearly all the reasons why they should be gone. She also introduced as a guest commentary an address given by Hon Bill English in 2003: Address to the National Press Club Breakfast 24 July 2003.
English said the National Party “stands for one standard of citizenship for all.” “We are all New Zealanders. All as good as each other sharing common rights and obligations.” “Parliament must make it clear that there is no constitutional partnership between the Crown and Maori.” English was then Leader of the National Party Opposition.
More to the point of Muriel Newman’s article, English said, “That’s why National-led Government will abolish the Maori seats.” Of course, it did nothing of the sort when National came back into government in 2008 under John Key. Instead, the Key government abetted the infiltration of all parts of New Zealand society by elements who would substitute authoritarian tribal rule for a free and democratic society, a process which was accelerated by the Ardern/Hipkins governments.
Under pressure from ACT and New Zealand First, the coalition government has walked this back a bit but not to the extent needed to offer meaningful restraint of the authoritarian tendencies which unthinking acquiescence by most of us has unwittingly allowed.
At present, whilst there has been good legislation to roll back some of the more egregious excesses of the last government and isolated examples of ministers insisting on their ministries adopting policies the government was thought to stand for, clear and concerted direction is absent.
Leadership is needed. We need a Prime Minister who will say loudly and clearly what English said in 2003, expressing with strength of character and personality that it is the expectation of all members of the coalition government that all elements of the bureaucracy and other parts of government both central and local will cease undermining our democracy.
Today, when NZ First has advanced a Bill for a referendum and ACT says get rid of the Maori seats now, the opportunity is ripe for that sort of leadership. Getting rid of the seats, especially by or endorsed by referendum to show it is peoples’ will, would not only remove an anti-democratic excrescence, but also be a signal that enough is enough and that henceforth we shall be a “multiracial society [where] people of all races are able to coexist together in peace and cooperation as equal citizens under the law.”
Yet the National Party is silent. Neither for nor against, bereft of the courage to say we agree or we do not agree and this is why.
Or does the leadership think silence is of political advantage? If so, all indications are they are mistaken.
Gary Judd KC is a King's Counsel, former Chairman of ASB and Ports of Auckland and former member APEC Business Advisory Council. Gary blogs at Gary Judd KC Substack where this article was sourced.
More to the point of Muriel Newman’s article, English said, “That’s why National-led Government will abolish the Maori seats.” Of course, it did nothing of the sort when National came back into government in 2008 under John Key. Instead, the Key government abetted the infiltration of all parts of New Zealand society by elements who would substitute authoritarian tribal rule for a free and democratic society, a process which was accelerated by the Ardern/Hipkins governments.
Under pressure from ACT and New Zealand First, the coalition government has walked this back a bit but not to the extent needed to offer meaningful restraint of the authoritarian tendencies which unthinking acquiescence by most of us has unwittingly allowed.
At present, whilst there has been good legislation to roll back some of the more egregious excesses of the last government and isolated examples of ministers insisting on their ministries adopting policies the government was thought to stand for, clear and concerted direction is absent.
Leadership is needed. We need a Prime Minister who will say loudly and clearly what English said in 2003, expressing with strength of character and personality that it is the expectation of all members of the coalition government that all elements of the bureaucracy and other parts of government both central and local will cease undermining our democracy.
Today, when NZ First has advanced a Bill for a referendum and ACT says get rid of the Maori seats now, the opportunity is ripe for that sort of leadership. Getting rid of the seats, especially by or endorsed by referendum to show it is peoples’ will, would not only remove an anti-democratic excrescence, but also be a signal that enough is enough and that henceforth we shall be a “multiracial society [where] people of all races are able to coexist together in peace and cooperation as equal citizens under the law.”
Yet the National Party is silent. Neither for nor against, bereft of the courage to say we agree or we do not agree and this is why.
Or does the leadership think silence is of political advantage? If so, all indications are they are mistaken.
Gary Judd KC is a King's Counsel, former Chairman of ASB and Ports of Auckland and former member APEC Business Advisory Council. Gary blogs at Gary Judd KC Substack where this article was sourced.
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