Mike Butler: The denigration of Julian

The beneficiaries and supporters of “co-governance” have stepped out into the open, courtesy of Julian Batchelor’s Stop Co-governance tour. And that is what powered the chaotic meeting in Hastings, on Monday, July 24, when the local iwi chair Bayden Barber sent in his people to resist this “attack on our identity”. (1)

That resistance took the form of persistent heckling which posed substantial difficulties for Batchelor to get through his three-hour plus presentation. When a heckler starting smashing Batchelor’s gear, police closed the meeting.

Iwi chair Barber’s interference preceded the meeting that was first booked at the HB Racing Centre. Without speaking to the racing centre, Barber released an open letter urging the centre to cancel the booking.