ACT's headline policy is that it will scrap the Waitangi Tribunal, which many people, including me, may see as a good idea because the tribunal has gone completely off piste. It has started to resemble a branch of the Māori Party, finding in real time that one Government policy after another breaches the Treaty of Waitangi.
In some cases, it has made these findings about policies that have not even become law yet, which means there cannot be an actual breach because nothing has happened.
When the point of the Waitangi Tribunal was to investigate contemporary breaches, not the possibility of contemporary breaches, the distinction is important. That distinction turns the tribunal into a political player.
Because it has become exactly that, a political player, which was not the original intention, it's not unreasonable to applaud a plan to scrap it.
However, that is not what ACT's plan actually does. ACT is proposing to scrap the tribunal only once all historical Treaty claims have been settled. And when do you think that's going to be? When do you think that's going to happen?
It will only happen when Ngāpuhi finally settles and Ngāpuhi is not going to settle anytime soon because its various groups are still fighting among themselves about it. I reckon they'll be arguing over it for decades.
So, in my view, this is so far in the future that David Seymour will likely be retired and spending time with his grandkids before it actually happens.
Beware of these kinds of policies this election. You'll come across plenty of them. They're designed to make it look as though a party is going to do the thing you really want it to do, without having to go through the political drama of actually doing it.
In my opinion, this policy is a case in point.
Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and radio broadcaster who hosts Newstalk ZB's weekday Drive-Time Show – where this article was sourced.
12 comments:
You got it. Seymour's just trying to con folks who are upset about race related issues into voting ACT even though he's achieved nothing in the past three years on that front. Hilariously he brought up the Maori Pasifika quota at Medical Schools last week, having brought up = you guessed it = the same Maori Pasifika quota at Medical Schools three years ago before election 2023. What's he done on it? Nada. Nothing. Can't even produce a waffly review that he promised in his own coalition agreement. His Treaty Principles never went anywhere. He had three years. Now he pretends he will do them another way. Pigs will fly. His Waitangi Tribunal line is another race related cheap shot soundbite to jerk peoples chains to pick up some gullible votes. As the founder of ACT told me, David's become a very good talker. And very good at doing nothing. Another career politician who never had a career in the private sector, just like so many on the left of our politics. What's the difference?
quote-'So, in my view, this is so far in the future that David Seymour will likely be retired and spending time with his grandkids before it actually happens.'
By that time, Seymour's grandkids will be so indoctrinated by the education/media system, 'they'll' be claiming 'their' 1/256th blood line!!!
It will take a massive political backbone to remove the tribunal.
The tribunal have for so long now been making up claims to justify it's existence. They are the ultimate make work for pay organisation.
They in fact make the reasons, that make the gravy for their own gravy train.
The tribunal works for itself and needs to be gone by lunchtime for the sake of this country.
While I agree that ACT are not serious. They know that National will never agree to it. I think that the tribunal is nothing but a politics.
IMO, if Maori want justice they should use the land court under the Maori land act 1993. It is a real senior court not a corporate talk fest like the tribunal.
We can easily dispense with the tribunal and real Maori men and women might actually get their land back rather than the iwi corporations that call themselves Māori.
At least Seymour has the guts to put the plan out there. No other party even dares mention the idea.
ACT has tied its colours to the “End the Tribunal” mast, let’s see what the election night voters think of that.
It’s only one small step for mankind, but it’s a start.
Typical. The ink’s not even dry on the ‘End the Tribunal’ policy document and we’re already piling in the say it won’t happen. That’s as maybe, but Seymour at least has the nerve to tie ACT to the idea. The other parties? Nada.
It’s a small step but you can bet it will garner a major backlash from the Wokerati, which in turn will keep ACT in the headlines and in an election run up, all publicity is good.
It will also be interesting to see what the silent majority think of the idea come election day.
Robert, your anti-ACT, anti-David Seymour diatribes are becoming very boring. ACT (and David) can only achieve progress with ANY policy if they can win sufficient backing in Parliament. You know that. I know that. So stop insinuating they have done nothing. ACT have some excellent MPs and have achieved considerable progress in a number of fields, all of which are a matter of record and freely available.
What's being said here applies to all the minor parties. Realistically, the Greens will never get their State run supermarket, TPM will never get their Commission (at least one that overrides Parliament) and TOP will never get their universal basic income (or whatever it's called) through. That doesn't mean we should ignore these policies.
When a minor party joins a coalition they bring their policies collectively. If TPM hadn't supported Key, NZ wouldn't have signed up to the UN declaration of Indigenous rights. It was thanks to the Greens that oil and gas exploration was banned. If not for ACT and NZ First, who knows how much spineless Luxon would have caved into Maori.
Rather than people criticizing ACT for policies they agree with, those people should supporting ACT because the stronger ACT is in Parliament, they more of these types of policies will become law.
Waitangi Tribunal needs to be dumped right now including outstanding cases. That Ngapuhi still have stuff to settle is due to their OWN fault. Wear it tweetie-pies. Tribunal over and gone.... asap.. days after election.
ACT sure does ask for a lot for a minority party.
Robert , your anti ACT and David pieces puzzle me. I did enjoy reading your pieces here on BV, and feel you have some very good to contribute. But the way i see it, ACT are at least doing something, they are a minor party and can only do so much, hopefully next time they will get a larger share. You cannot possibly be suggesting National are better or NZ1st for that matter.
Act do have some very good policy, and i for one hope they get a chance to see some of it delivered
ACT don’t have the mandate. All they can do is press releases.
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