The great gaslighter

Written By: - Date published: 11:26 am, November 19th, 2024 - 11 comments
Categories: act, david seymour, making shit up, national, national/act government, Politics, spin, treaty settlements, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

You have to admire David Seymour’s ability to completely misrepresent reality.

Like yesterday in this Herald opinion piece where he calimed that the Treaty Principles Bill “commits to protecting the rights of everyone, including Māori, and upholding Treaty settlements. It commits to give equal enjoyment of the same fundamental human rights to every single New Zealander. The challenge for people who oppose this bill is to explain why they are so opposed to those basic principles.”

Or where he claimed that te Tiriti created a partnership between races.

Or that there are groups who want to “nullify the debate”.

Committing to protecting the rights of everyone sounds great but is nothing more than what existing law achieves. Seymour’s bill does not provide added protections. Check out the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 or the Human Rights Act 1993 if you need confirmation.

And suggesting that you have to change the Treaty of Waitangi principles to preserve fundamental human rights and if you oppose this you are also opposed to human rights is the gaslight to end gaslights.

Making a virtue of upholding treaty settlements is weird. Of course they should be upheld. The Bill would however nullify every treaty right that has not been formally recorded in a settlement deed. I wonder why Seymour did not mention this.

And te Tiriti is clearly not a partnership between races. it is an agreement reached between the Crown and Māori.

As for nullifying the debate I presume that Seymour means opposing the circus that he has created. As the Waitangi Tribunal has found if enacted his bill would be “the worst, most comprehensive breach of the Treaty / te Tiriti in modern times. If the Bill remained on the statute book for a considerable time or was never repealed, it could mean the end of the Treaty / te Tiriti.”

Seymour is that interested in a civilised debate on his bill that when former National Party Minister Christopher Finlayson said that the bill was doing great damage he said that Finlayson was showing haughtiness and bitterness.

And when former National Prime Minister Jenny Shipley said that Seymour was inciting civil war he cast aspertions on her tenure at Mainzeal.

Shipley’s comments were prescient and thoughtful.

I was young enough to remember Bastion Point, and look, the Treaty has helped us navigate. When people have had to raise their voice, it’s brought us back to what it’s been – an enduring relationship where people then try to find their way forward.

And I thought the voices of this week were completely and utterly appropriate, and whether they breach standing orders, I’ll put that aside.

The voice of Māori, that reminds us that this was an agreement, a contract – and you do not rip up a contract and then just say, ‘Well, I’m happy to rewrite it on my terms, but you don’t count’.

I would raise my voice. I’m proud that the National Party has said they will not be supporting this, because you cannot speak out of both sides of your mouth.

And I think any voice that’s raised, and there are many people – Pākehā and Māori who are not necessarily on this hīkoi – who believe that a relationship is something you keep working at. You don’t just throw it in the bin and then try and rewrite it as it suits you.

She was scathing in her description of what Seymour is doing:

I just despise people who want to use a treasure – which is what the Treaty is to me – and use it as a political tool that drives people to the left or the right, as opposed to inform us from our history and let it deliver a future that is actually who we are as New Zealanders … I condemn David Seymour for his using this, asking the public for money to fuel a campaign that I think really is going to divide New Zealand in a way that I haven’t lived through in my adult life. There’s been flashpoints, but I view this incredibly seriously.

And there are reports that National and NZ First want to shorten the select committee process for consideration of the bill. And that National MPs are being deluged with emails and that their support is taking a hammering.

And as I type this thousands upon thousands of Hikoi marchers are descending onto Parliament.

And David Seymour has not ruled out speaking to the crowd.

I suspect that he is grinning from ear to ear.

It is hard to imagine a better example of gaslighting than what he is doing now. Or another time when a minnow party has been allowed to create this amount of chaos in pursuit of the redneck vote.

11 comments on “The great gaslighter ”

  2. aj 2
    19 November 2024 at 12:09 pm

    A cunning and very dangerous man, should never have been let near the levers of power. Almost makes me regret MMP.

    Reply
  3. SPC 3
    19 November 2024 at 12:12 pm

    He claimed he wanted a debate.

    The Maori are bringing the marae to Whanganui a Tara.

    The first principle of the Treaty is that there were two parties to it.

    And as for dawn birdsong, Maori are using Seymour to declare their indigenous peoples right to be consulted (a right to declare before the world – UN, UNDRIP) in such matters.

    All indigenous peoples will champion it.

    Which is why the National Party realise his methods are counter-productive, he has become the extremist that might have to be purged to ensure re-election (think the move to Birch by Bolger).

    Reply
  4. gsays 4
    19 November 2024 at 12:31 pm

    In line with the idea National are loosing support I am going to email my local (National) MP and suggest I am considering not voting for them as their handling of this affair has been atrocious.

    A line about fiscal responsibility in tough times will not go amiss

    Reply
  5. SPC 5
    19 November 2024 at 12:33 pm

    The Treaty of Waitangi Act (October 10 1975) established the Waitangi Tribunal.

    A land march arrived on Oct 13 1975 to demand it do "good work"

    Some parties that want to fast track this bill to oblivion, are themselves out to remove references to the Treaty from legislation and also undermine the role of the Waitangi Tribunal.

    Reply
  6. SPC 6
    19 November 2024 at 1:13 pm

    The story is that there is no catch.

    Just avoid using adjectives to describe Seymour and it is, as easy as.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360491786/treaty-principles-bill-opens-submissions-however-there-catch

    Reply
  8. koina 8
    19 November 2024 at 2:09 pm

    "It is hard to imagine a better example of gaslighting than what he is doing now. Or another time when a minnow party has been allowed to create this amount of chaos in pursuit of the red neck vote."

    Well several things.

    1. It's not hard to imagine gaslighting because gaslighting is a fundamental component of all political debate.

    2. Hard to imagine a minnow party allowed to create this amount of chaos in pursuit of the red neck vote.? Well not minnow party but pursuing the red neck vote you need look no further than National under Muldoon and Bolger with the likes of Norm Jones John Banks and Lockwood-Smith. And Winston Peters the Honorary White in Parliament for 46 years condemning all minorities especially Maori and NZF staying in Parliament on the back of their immigrant hate policy.

    3. Broadly speaking the majority of White voters those on the left included are attracted to minority hate like hyena on methamphetamine. The supposed White opposition to Seymour 's anti Maori Rhetoric is tepid at best and if the truth be known the majority of left wing whites actually agree with Seymour.

    Appealing to White prejudice ignorance fear entitlement and power is the most profitable vote catcher in the political schemata so minority bashing is not going anywhere any time soon.

    4. The one positive to come from the 180 year White hate campaign against Maori is that we as Maori can say unequivocally we are not one people we have never been one people and we never ever want to be one people. Something to celebrate at least.

    Reply
    • Muttonbird 8.1
      19 November 2024 at 2:22 pm

      And if the truth be known the majority of left wing whites actually agree with Seymour.

      I find that very hard to believe. I'd go so far as to say it is outright bullshit.

      Was prepared to give you a go but you have some weird anarchist issues to sort through, and can't seem to pick friend from foe.

      Good luck, hombre.

      Reply

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