OPINION
Geoff Parker
Recently Stuff published an article titled ‘Coalition’s petty reversal on Maori wards a threat to local democracy’, dated 17 April 2024, by Corey Hebberd.
This article seeks to address Hebberd’s humbug.
Autonomy and diverse voices
Hebberd writes:
Abolished the requirement for referendums on Maori wards, was a step towards recognising the autonomy of local councils to make decisions reflective of their communities’ needs. By reinstating this requirement, the government is effectively disempowering councils and over-riding their ability to represent the diverse voices within their jurisdictions
Response: The Local Government Act 2002 (1) does not confer special rights and privileges that are not accorded to other members of the public on Maori and it states very clearly that councils must prioritise the good of the whole community.
What it does do, however, is require councils to:
1) “provide opportunities for Maori to contribute to the decision-making processes of the local authority”, and
2) “consider ways of fostering the development of Maori capacity”.
So Councils have an obligation to consider what steps can reasonably be taken to encourage and assist Maori to participate in local affairs. That’s why most councils have established Maori Liaison Committees and Advisory Boards.
The law does not require them to do any more than that. It certainly doesn’t require Maori to cast votes on Council decisions, nor that tribal demands be automatically granted, nor for Maori to be given preference over the rest of the community.
Rural and other wards
Hebberd writes:
If the principle of local democracy is to be upheld, all wards should be treated equally, without arbitrary distinctions based on ethnicity or cultural representation. Rural wards? No referendum. Urban wards? No referendum. Number of wards? No referendum. Location of wards? No referendum. Maori wards? Referendum.
Response: The FACT is that Rural wards do not represent farmers or rural people only, to make up the numbers they can sometimes include suburbs of towns etc and are inclusive of ALL races.
Federated Farmers do not have their own representatives or wards which are obligated to farmers only, whereas Maori wards do.
Further, Hebberd’s ward list does not change the voting system as does introducing Maori wards with a new voting system based on the Maori Electoral Roll and the General Roll.
Social division
Hebberd writes:
The government’s requirement for referendums will create unnecessary division and angst within our communities; that is not leadership.
Response: The division arises because who a person can vote for is based on whether they are enrolled on the Maori Roll or the General Roll. Those on the Maori Roll will only be able to vote for candidates standing in Maori wards and those on the general Roll will only be able to vote for general ward candidates. This divides representation by race.
Further, it is those ‘supremacist Maori’ with their complete lack of individualism and who are unable to transcend tribal mentality who are the “dividers” of our communities.
Tribal consciousness even divides those of the same race into warring tribes, clans and factions.
New Zealanders who believe in racial equality and one rule for all have simply been cast by separatists as the enemy ‘tribe’.
Tribalism requires an ‘enemy’, and won’t rest until it finds or invents one.
The cost of referendums
Hebberd writes:
In a time of financial strain, this move will also cost us… It is ultimately ratepayers who will pay.
Response: What price do you place on One Law For ALL and Democracy? – Patriotic New Zealanders gave up their lives fighting for those two noble things – so any monetary cost is chicken feed to what any future alternative tribal authoritarianism will cost.
Further, it is activist separatist Maoris and their European sycophants who have placed New Zealanders in this divisive situation by demanding separatist race-based wards, so it is they who are to blame for costing the ratepayers. New Zealanders are simply fighting for equality and to have the pre-2021 status quo reinstated.
Democracy
Hebberd writes:
Yet here where are [sic], faced with a decision that threatens the very principles of local democracy and equitable representation
Response: Governance and property rights issues must be based solely on citizenship, not ethnicity.
There must be no preferment for any individual or group, based on ethnicity.
Matters of culture and matters of governance are entirely separate, except for the basic right of freedom of expression and belief.
Inclusive society
Hebberd writes:
[…] and jeopardises the progress towards an inclusive society.
Response: Maori wards are separate, race-based positions on Councils reserved for people identifying as Maori. They are voted for exclusively by a Maori constituency (wards). The candidates only care about gaining advantages for their Maori supporters, not the community as a whole – is that an ‘inclusive society’?