OPINION
In a recent post I wrote about Christopher Luxon and his impressive speech to the Auckland Business Chamber outlining the Government’s plans, objectives and challenges. Subsequent to that speech, on the same afternoon, further challenges came to light. These were, not surprisingly, from the world of the Maori activists who adhere to the rather quaint notion that they, rather than the government, are the ones to determine policy in their world.
I’m unsure whether these people suffer from a short attention span or simply memory loss but there was an election last October and we now have a new government in place.
Maybe these people including those in Parliament (looking at you Willie Jackson) still haven’t quite understood how the Westminster political system works. Another word for it is ‘democracy’. The equivalent word in Maori is ‘manapori’. It’s a handy word to know as it relates to how this country (its proper name by the way, is New Zealand – just ask Winston) is governed.
In the United Kingdom, where democracy originated, there are no laws specific to any of the myriad of different races residing in the country; everyone is governed by the same policies. It might be difficult for activists to get their heads around it but it is the same in New Zealand. The Treaty of Waitangi, the one that is used to play games of one-upmanship, simply recognises the fact that Queen Victoria was kind enough to give Maori the same rights as her colonial subjects.
When one gives someone something, in this case, a leg up, one doesn’t normally expect abuse in return. Rather, one would expect recognition of the fact that we, Maori and Pakeha, are now one people living together under the same laws.
This is exactly what this Government is saying and is guided by in its policies, which are designed to get better outcomes for all of us regardless of race. Everyone is treated in the same way, but that doesn’t prevent Maori from instituting their own methods of doing things where applicable.
Take health. This Government happens to think that, rather than having a centralised system for Maori based in Wellington, it is a better idea to engage with Maori health providers at a local level. I happen to agree. Different areas will have different priorities for differing needs.
Take education and the reintroduction of Charter Schools. The students that benefited most from Charter Schools were those less likely to succeed in the state system, some from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Many who attended the Vanguard Military School have gone on to careers in the armed forces.
Maori activists aren’t interested in any of this. They are not interested in working with the government for the betterment of their own people. They are only interested in peddling their own agenda which has left their people no better off. The vast majority of Maori want no truck with these activists nor their disreputable agenda. They regard themselves as belonging to one people – Kiwis, working hard and in need of a tax break that this Government is about to deliver for them.
They are not interested in arguing over a piece of paper and are not interested in a puerile letter to King Charles talking claptrap about lawless pakeha’ behaviour. The behaviour the activists should focus on is their own.
It appears it has been left up to the very able and concerned minister, Karen Chhour, to protect these vulnerable kiddies. The majority of Maori appear not the slightest bit interested in antics like running off to the courts over every bit of legislation the activists don’t like or the blatant interference and overstepping the mark from the Waitangi Tribunal.
It’s time for these activists to realise whom the public are taking notice of in this regard in the new Government: Winston Peters, Shane Jones and David Seymour, all Maori and all of the same opinion: namely, that this country has no future and will go nowhere as long as the racist nonsense from minority activists is allowed to continue. An article by Lindsay Mitchell on the BFD showed these activists are nothing more than a squeaky wheel looking for oil or, in their case, attention; not for their people but themselves.
All we hear is negative rhetoric about Maori; how disadvantaged they are and how colonialism has wrecked their very existence preventing them from achieving. So for those who haven’t read Lindsay’s article here are some facts:
- 64 per cent of Maori are employed, the overall rate is 68.4
- In excess of 400,000 Maoris have jobs, provide products and services and pay tax
- 97 per cent of Maori are not in prison
- Over 99 per cent of Maori are not gang members
- 27 per cent of Maori are in the top two income quintiles
These are positive statistics that the likes of Willie Jackson and the Maori Party activists should be shouting from the rooftops.
But it doesn’t suit their narrative, which is simply to demean their race. They don’t want to talk about Maori achievement or in any way help Maori to advance. Activists, including the Maori Party, are out to create the perception that they are oppressed, they are mostly incarcerated, they are disadvantaged in every way possible and it’s all the white man’s fault.
The Waitangi Tribunal has now accused the Government of breaching the Treaty in its proposed Maori Wards legislation. It’s getting to the point where it’s impossible to do anything in this country for fear of being in contempt of the Treaty. If the way this country is run is not to their liking, maybe these folks should find a waka, the moon and the stars, and paddle back whence they came. There are so few of them they would probably only need one canoe. The rest of us, Maori, Pakeha and everybody else, could then get on living happily together.
This nonsense has to stop. There is no doubt that the patience of Winston, Shane and David is already wearing thin. If Christopher wants the dreams and aspirations he talked so enthusiastically about in his speech to come to fruition he will have to join them in putting his foot down. It is obvious to most people that both the Treaty of Waitangi and the Waitangi Tribunal need sorting out. They are the cause of most of the problems in this country and are the vehicles used by the small group of activists to peddle their racist humbug.
So to the racist few, here are the facts you need to inwardly digest:
- You are in the minority
- You do not represent the views of the majority of your people
- You do not wish to work with the government for the betterment of your people
- You do not determine policies for Maori, the government does
- You are the ones peddling racism and hate in this country
- You are not interested in addressing the obvious problems affecting Maori
- You are not interested in helping Maori to achieve
- You are not interested in highlighting Maori achievement
- You persist in demeaning your people with constant negative rhetoric
- You are interested only in yourselves and your nasty divisive agenda.
All of the above is why you will never achieve your aims. It is why most Maori choose to vote on the general roll. By your every action you are ensuring your leftie mates in Parliament are non-electable when it comes to governing. The voters witnessed Labour lying down like a puppy having its tummy rubbed and won’t be keen for a second watch. The idea of co-governance leading to the minority having control over the majority (e.g Three Waters) has little or no appeal to most of the electorate. We want to live as one nation, one people in a country called New Zealand. End of story.