Bob Edlin: No, it’s not the Treaty which grants privileges to Māori – it’s politicians

Politicians eagerly do what the Treaty of Waitangi does not: they dispense favours and privileges to Māori.

They want to establish “partnerships” not because the Treaty demands them, but because they claim to be invoking “principles” established more than 100 years after the treaty’s signing.

The treaty’s role in treating Māori and non-Māori equally is mentioned on the Human Rights Commission’s website: