Chris Trotter: Willie Jackson's Problem.

Willie Jackson has a problem – a big problem. Since 2017, he has led the charge to secure more resources for Māori and, by winning them, has assumed a pivotal political role in the quest for Tino Rangatiratanga. With Jackson’s successes, however, have come heightened expectations of more. Just how high Māori hopes have grown is manifested in the contents of the Draft Plan for implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) So alarming are the recommendations contained in this document, that the Māori Development Minister is refusing to present it to Cabinet.

Jackson’s refusal is highly significant. If the plan has a promoter of Māori economic and social development as stalwart as Jackson shaking his head, then the Draft Plan must be effectively indistinguishable from the He Puapua Report.

Therein lies Jackson’s problem. The moment the He Puapua Report entered the public arena it was too late to order it shredded. It had become a ticking political time-bomb that could only be defused with the co-operation of all sides of the Māori sovereignty debate. It’s only saving grace was that it was not – yet – an official government document. This was a godsend for Jackson and the Labour Government. They had been given a few crucial months to do whatever was needed to prevent a potentially fatal political explosion.

Henry Armstrong: The UNDRIP Declaration Plan

The Ardern government is currently working on a plan, in conjunction with The Ministry of Maori Development (Te Puni Kokiri), the Iwi Chairs Forum, and the (discredited, politicised, and biased) Human Rights Commission, to give effect to the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – UNDRIP- in New Zealand. 

The general New Zealand public will not be allowed to know about the content of this Declaration Plan until it has been finalised by, and only for, Maori, who claim to be indigenous to New Zealand, having migrated here, periodically, and variously, from Eastern Polynesia, around 1300 AD. 

In a pre-Anzac weekend document release, Maori Development Minister Jackson provided a very brief statement on how the Declaration Plan is to be worked through - but only with Maori and the discredited Human Rights Commission - with absolutely no general public input whatsoever. 

Ardern has promised “consultation” sometime after the Plan is released in June.

Henry Armstrong: Ardern’s Undrip Plan – The Co-Government “Softening Up” Process Begins

A pre-Anzac weekend statement by Maori Development Minister Jackson (21 April 2022) refers to an “indigenous rights plan”, which is being worked upon by Maori-but is not to be released for public consultation until at least June.

In a carefully-crafted press release, Jackson selectively releases “feedback from the first phase of targeted engagement with Maori on developing a plan to implement UNDRIP”. Note the lack of engagement with anybody else?

Point of Order: Let’s recall how NZ was surprised by signing of indigenous rights declaration – and how Mahuta criticised the Key govt’s secrecy

Announcing the completion of the first stage of the two-step engagement process to develop “a Declaration Plan”, Willie Jackson acknowledged the work was being done through race-tinted glasses.

Almost 70 “targeted engagement workshops” had been held mainly online, the Minister for Māori Development said.

“Māori rōpū represented diverse groups ranging from iwi, hapū, tāngata whaikaha Māori (disability community) and rangatahi, to groups interested in health, education, and the environment.

“There were 12 key themes from the Māori targeted engagement covering areas such as rangatiratanga, participation in government, equity and fairness. It ran from Sept 2021 to Feb 2022 and some engagement is ongoing. You can read the full report and other resources here.”

The drafting of the Declaration Plan would now begin in partnership with the National Iwi Chairs Forum’s Pou Tikanga and the Human Rights Commission

“… before being shared for public consultation later this year”.

Under the Government’s discriminatory consultation timetable, and at long last…

“All New Zealanders will get the chance to comment on the range of actions proposed in the draft Declaration Plan.”

And so the leaders of one ethnic group representing 17 per cent of the population, have been enabled over several months to give the Government a wish list which now is being curated by officials before being presented for discussion by the whole population.