Guest Post – Waitangi Day, build a bridge and get over it
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8:48 am, February 6th, 2015 - 30 comments
Categories: culture -
Tags: Treaty of waitangi
A guest post by David Meech republished from the Jafacentral blogsite.
Nearly time for Waitangi Day again.
Some say we need to simply celebrate the day the way the Aussies do. Fire up the barbies, shake out the picnic blankets and crack open a really good wine and simply enjoy a nice day out at the beach.
But that wouldn’t be traditional. Traditionally we mark our national day by crouching around a t.v. at news time waiting for a big fight to break out up at Waitangi.
It makes for a good break in NZ politics. All that red vs. blue, nice to get in a bit of white vs. brown.
It’s frustrating that we haven’t put the emphasis back on British colonialism yet. The British are a proud people. They will stand up for their country. They will fight for and defend their country.
Sadly very few seem to want to still live in their country.
Ancient Polynesian cultures were cute and interesting yet nowhere near as flash as Captain Cook who actually went ahead and discovered them. Certainly the younger generations of suburban hip-hopsters find it increasingly difficult to maintain tribal beliefs in ancient mythical tales of demi-gods, magical abilities, heavenly and worldly inter-travel and rampant blood-lust compared to the steadfast, more truthful European histories of Jesus Christ, King Arthur, Robin Hood, Bilbo Baggins, Pinocchio and Santa Claus. Nevertheless Maori continue to make steady progress towards technological civilisation to the point where they actually do now buy into these rapidly drying pools of British colonial subculture, especially the tales about Robin Hood, who was indeed a nice generous guy despite his noted habit of robbing and shooting people.
We are a humble race we Pakeha. Not like the Maori flashing their bums about and poking tongues at royalty – some of whom are now weaning themselves off state welfare. We are proud of our achievements but we don’t need to overly show off about our culture. When Sir Ed climbed that mountain we didn’t need to spoil the show by draping our flag all over that mountain did we? How dare the Aussies claim Split Enz as Australian when we all know perfectly well that they left New Zilland to make it big – not Australia. No wonder Australians are somewhat dumbfounded by our remarkable understatements of achievement.
Maori have been pushing out into the foreground and spilling right over the bloody foreshore in the last few decades and are due for a decent tidal turn. Recent research has emerged that a bunch of discarded old stones found in the corner of a field near Hokianga are conclusive proof that Polynesians were once ruled by a Celtic master race. There is no conceivable way in which ancient Polynesians, renowned for world class feats of sea navigation, warfare and oral mastery, could possibly have randomly put stones on top of one another.
Ancient oral culture has been unable to defend itself against this well respected yet loosely documented ideology, coming as it does from an expert who, through sheer coincidence, happens himself to have a distant Celtic background. This same academic, now well into his last sherry, also postulated that the magnificent Great Zimbabwe fort, though positioned squarely in the middle of Africa, must surely be evidence of wandering lost Jewish tribes as distantly mentioned in a remote version of the bible, which he never got around to finishing, or wandering Aryans who, having raced half way across the globe, suddenly needed to stop and built a big old fort in the middle of nowhere before they rapidly disappeared up the annals of time. Or if not Aryans then maybe aliens, or Phoenicians, maybe the lost tribe of Israel but definitely not black Africans.
Maori are also notoriously fracticious, tribal and warlike. This does not bode well compared to the noble array of Saxons, Jutes, Picts, Britons, Romans, Pakistanis, Celts, Vikings, Chavs, Norman French and Jamaicans that underpin the unified Britain of today. Not the Jews since they were all kicked out. Clearly Maori have tended to bicker amongst themselves and need to learn from their European colonisers, the British and Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish (they don’t get full club membership) and Irish who very seldom tend to bicker , and if they do quickly get over it with either a referendum or a few religious riots or bombings. And yes the odd football riot, a few of which managed to extend over into Italy (which of course was not fully unified until 1918 unless you include the Vatican and then okay it is still not actually unified). Clearly Maori lacked the technological abilities of these uber-races, and after Maori stupidly laid their guns down some 130 years ago, they failed to really push on and learn from the continuation of superior and more technological violence extending as it does from the mass encampment of innocent civilians in the Boer War; a neat little town square massacre in India; the Spanish Civil War; deadly conflicts centered on mass extermination in France and Belgium, (which by the way seemed to disappointingly escalate into 2 sadly global world wars against the Germans who were of course once our allies); the resultant soulless extermination of Poles and Jews; the firebombing of innocent civilians in London and Berlin and the inevitable desolation of Russia as we know it, terminating with the nuclear annihilation of thousands of Japanese at Hiroshima (did you know they used to be our allies ?); and on through the sectarian religious tribal viciousness of the troubles in Northern Ireland; mass ethnic exterminations throughout Bosnia and Serbia; threatened nuclear conflicts with the Russians (hey they used to be our allies); and a minor yet entertaining side-scuffle over a couple of windswept southern sheep farming islets remarkably close to Argentina.
Oh and of course the oil wars.
Yes, yes Afghanistan, Malaysia, Korea and the big 60’s musical production over in Vietnam.
Whereas most Maori conflicts seemed to be over pathetic things such as food resources, territorial domination or survival, European conflicts have mostly held far loftier, noble and civilised causes, including, yet not limited to; “the war to end all wars” (see World Wars I and II); Christianity; Empire; the spread of freedom; measles; civilisation; democracy; Dr. Who and real estate franchising.
Clearly these Maori, though often entertaining at barbecues, are a violent, belligerent people whose former treachery must forever be held in suspicion.
Maori need to move on from the past, and stop living in the past, whilst never for a moment forgetting that they are all actually derived from untrustworthy wild savages. These radical Maori should really stop deriding the rapidly drying pools of British colonial sub-culture when it is well known that, if not for the heroic efforts of British medicine they would surely have all died from the brutal and tidal onslaught of disease and pestilence as brought over by the early fleets of thoughtful and caring Christian real-estate agents. The cannibal thing can be forgiven, but never forgotten, and it needs to be brought up fairly consistently. Lacey and Danzinger in the No 1 bestseller “The Year 1000″, a clever snapshot of life in England at the time, mention on page 183, “there were horrendous famines which forced men into cannibalism…” Shocking isn’t it? Clearly this seems to suggest that in or around the Year 1000 AD Maori somehow embarked by canoe or Polynesian pirogue, navigated across distant voids, against tidal current and prevailing wind, found their way right unto the distant corners of Europe, disembarked upon the soft sandy shores of Albion and then proceeded to systematically and greedily feast themselves upon the innocent and unsuspecting carcasses of civilised English children.
They certainly had an uncanny maritime ability didn’t they?
Thank goodness Maori are all Christians now and can instead focus on all that I am the blood of Christ stuff.
Maori also need to stop reminding us about that silly old treaty. Yes we wrote the scratchy old thing; made the promises; guided the trembling hands over the burnished parchment; paid the glass beads; meticulously recorded it all, and then somehow failed to deliver on certain central key terms. It may be easy to stand there and say, “You stupid bloody colonial sheep-herding plonkers” – but constantly dwelling on this is annoying. Just because you were here first does not mean that you can’t share. Look at Ngati Whatua – they shared and they even got some of their land back, now that we’ve let them out of prison. Just build a bloody bridge and jolly well get over it. Stop living in the past. Even though you are historically warlike tribal cannibals at heart. If those Europeans had not arrived, grabbed most of the good land, cut it free from the developmental bugbears of rahui and rohe, chopped down all the trees, covered it over in sheep grazing and pine forest, polluted waterways and leeched land to the point where it is no longer good for anything bar residential subdivision by bankrupt, white-shooed, coke-snorting property developers from Queensland, we could never have brought this hallowed Western concept of ecological conservation and restoration that is now rapidly overtaking our good nation.
By holding back the construction of hospitals and schools in the Tainui region, and then forbidding the use of their language in public, we were actively forcing them on into civilisation and jolly well letting them know that they should be thankful that they were not colonised by South Africans or something. Or even worse, and God forbid, by those annoying French people, with their complicated concepts of fashion, cuisine, artistic endeavour, social housing, universal education, social equality, health schemes, amazing variety of perfumes and aftershaves, world class cellars of wine, focus on quality, beautiful table manners, pensive architecture, scientific and intellectual endeavour, concepts of beautiful design, gourmet mayonnaise and the uncanny ability to dress astoundingly well in the morning. Maori today may find themselves penniless, asthmatic, unemployed, wearing jandals and renting a partially insulated leaky home off the daughter of a Chinese Party member, but they should always be thankful for the introduction of meat pies, marmite sandwiches and the superior technological advantages of no.8 wire.
Look we all know they weren’t really here first. The steadfast refusal of academic Maori to acknowledge the only partially debunked myth of Moriori (Maru-Iwi?), a small statured race of dark-skinned space invaders, who arrived moments after the boatloads of flax-haired Celtic Kings, is bloody annoying to say the least. How can you possibly refute the existence of an entire race of people when clearly you can’t even get their name right? Maori today refuse to watch the documentaries, listen to the talkback shows or watch the YouTube posts, and spend far too much time watching Homai te Pakipaki.
Look putting it bluntly Maori just need to buck up. Like their friendly British-based real estate franchisees and colonial roastbusters, they need to formulate wordy European-type verbal and ideological constructs which launch far up and away into the air soaring high and right over (and barely recognising or relating to) the relevant facts or detail pertaining to the historical issues of our time.
So let’s just bloody well build a bridge and get over it.
Copywright David Meech
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- Nicola Willis’s Very Unserious Bungling of the Kiwirail Interislander Cancellation
Open to all with kind thanks to all subscribers and supporters.Today, RNZ revealed that despite MFAT advice to Nicola Willis to be very “careful and deliberate” in her communications with the South Korean government, prior to any public announcement on cancelling Kiwirail’s i-Rex, Willis instead told South Korea 26 minutes ...1 week ago - Satisfying the Minister’s Speed Obsession
The Minister of Transport’s speed obsession has this week resulted in two new consultations for 110km/h speed limits, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch. There has also been final approval of the Kapiti Expressway to move to 110km/h following an earlier consultation. While the changes will almost certainly see ...1 week ago
- What if we freed up our streets, again?
This guest post is by Tommy de Silva, a local rangatahi and freelance writer who is passionate about making the urban fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland more people-focused and sustainable. New Zealand’s March-April 2020 Level 4 Covid response (aka “lockdown”) was somehow both the best and worst six weeks of ...1 week ago
- Potential intelligence sharing with Israel must be investigated
Concerns have been raised that our spy arrangements may mean that intelligence is being shared between Aotearoa and Israel. An urgent inquiry must be launched in response to this. ...4 hours ago - Release: Charter schools undermine our education system
The Government is taking a wrecking ball to our public education system by reinstating charter schools. ...7 hours ago - Youngest MP to travel to Canada to accept Politician of the Year Award
Aotearoa’s Youngest Member of Parliament, and Te Pāti Māori MP, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, will travel to Montreal to accept the One Young World Politician of the Year Award next week. The One Young World Politician of the Year Award was created in 2018 to recognise the most promising young politicians between ...10 hours ago
- Greens celebrate huge step forward for ADHD community
The Greens welcome today’s long-coming announcement by Pharmac of consultation to remove the special authority renewal criteria for methylphenidate, dexamfetamine and modafinil and to fund lisdexamfetamine. ...11 hours ago
- Release: Millions to be spent dividing NZ for no reason
The National Party is wasting millions of dollars allowing David Seymour’s Treaty Principals Bill to be drafted and go to Select Committee. ...13 hours ago
- Release: New Zealanders departing our shores at a record rate
The Migration figures released by Stats NZ today show National is continuing to drive Kiwis away from New Zealand in record numbers. ...13 hours ago
- Te Tai Tokerau MP Slams Govt Overreach in Scrapping Māori Wards
Mema Paremata for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, has reflected on the decisions made by the councils of the North amidst the government’s push to remove Māori Wards and weaken mana whenua representation. “Actions taken by the Kaipara District Council to remove Māori Wards are the embodiment of the eradication ...23 hours ago
- Govt already seeking advice on Treaty referendum
On one hand, the Prime Minister has assured Aotearoa that his party will not support the Treaty Principles Bill beyond first reading, but on the other, his Government has already sought advice on holding a referendum on our founding document. ...1 day ago
- Release: Aged care will be worse off if redesign rushed
New Zealanders needing aged care support and the people who care for them will be worse off if the Government pushes through a flawed and rushed redesign of dementia and aged care. ...1 day ago
- Release: Govt fails hundreds of workers as mills close
Labour is devastated at news hundreds of workers are set to lose their jobs following the closure of Winstone Pulp mills. ...2 days ago
- Job losses from mill closures consequence of Govt inaction
Hundreds of jobs lost as a result of pulp mill closures in the Ruapehu District are a consequence of government inaction in addressing the shortfalls of our electricity network. ...2 days ago
- Ngarewa-Packer devastated for Ruapehu following WPI closure
Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader and MP for Te Tai Hauāuru is devastated for the Ruapehu community following today’s decision to close two Winstone Pulp mills. “My heart goes out to all the workers, their whānau, and the wider Ruapehu community affected by the closure of Winstone Pulp International,” said Ngarewa-Packer. ...3 days ago
- Release: Cabinet should stop the Treaty Principles Bill
National Party Ministers have a majority in Cabinet and can stop David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill, which even the Prime Minister has described as “divisive and unhelpful.” ...3 days ago
- Release: Staff gagged to keep fast track list secret
The National Government is so determined to hide the list of potential projects that will avoid environmental scrutiny it has gagged Ministry for the Environment staff from talking about it. ...3 days ago
- Release: Labour challenges Te Whatu Ora gag orders
Labour has complained to the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission about the high number of non-disclosure agreements that have effectively gagged staff at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ from talking about anything relating to their work. ...4 days ago
- Greens call on Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned after letter from Christian leaders
The Green Party is once again urging the Prime Minister to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill as a letter from more than 400 Christian leaders calls for the proposed legislation to be dropped. ...4 days ago
- Sign the petition: Keep military-style firearms off our streets
Help us tell the Government that reintroducing military-style firearms should not be up for debate. ...5 days ago
- Vast majority of councils support Māori wards
Councils across the country have now decided where they stand regarding Māori wards, with a resounding majority in favour of keeping them in what is a significant setback for the Government. ...6 days ago
- Release: Government on the wrong side of Māori wards
The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Government’s bid to treat Māori wards different to other wards. ...6 days ago
- Release: Labour congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki
The Labour Party congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki on being crowned as the eighth Te Ariki Nui – head of Te Kiingitanga. ...1 week ago
- Green Party welcomes new Maaori Kuiini
The Green Party welcomes the coronation of the new Maaori Kuiini, Te Arikinui Nga Wai Hono i te Po, today in Turangawaewae. ...1 week ago
- ECE teachers deserve better than this Government
The Green Party is unsurprised but disappointed by today’s announcement from the Government that will see our Early Childhood Centre teachers undermined and pay parity pushed further out of reach. ...1 week ago
- Urgent intervention needed on supermarkets
The Green Party is calling on the Government to intervene in the supermarket duopoly dominating our supply of groceries following today’s report from the Commerce Commission. ...1 week ago
- Release: Rainbow youth neglected in mental health funding
Labour backs the call from The Rainbow Support Collective members for mental health funding specifically earmarked for grassroots and peer led community organisations to be set up in a way that they are able to access. ...1 week ago
- Release: Transport in NZ has to be more than just roads
As expected, the National Land Transport Programme lacks ambition for our cities and our country’s rail network and puts the majority of investment into roads. ...1 week ago
- Speech: Barbara Edmonds Building Nations 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa, Thank you for your warm welcome and for having my colleagues and I here today. Earlier you heard from the Labour Leader, Chris Hipkins, on our vision for the future of infrastructure. I want to build on his comments and provide further detail on some key elements ...1 week ago
- Govt transport plan deepens fossil fuel fix
The Green Party says the Government’s new National Land Transport Programme marks another missed opportunity to take meaningful action to fight the climate crisis. ...1 week ago
- Greens call for public to back Wrybill in BOTY and beyond
The Green Party is calling on the public to support the Ngutu Pare Wrybill not just in this year’s Bird of the Year competition but also in pushing back against policies that could lead to the destruction of its habitat and accelerate its extinction. ...1 week ago
- Building consents data bad news for construction
News that the annual number of building consents granted for new homes fell by more than 20 percent for the year ended July 2024, is bad news for the construction industry. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Pāti Māori Pay Tribute to Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII
Papā te whatitiri, hikohiko te uira, i kanapu ki te rangi, i whētuki i raro rā, rū ana te whenua e. Uea te pou o tōku whare kia tū tangata he kapua whakairi nāku nā runga o Taupiri. Ko taku kiri ka tōkia ki te anu mātao. E te iwi ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Gaps still to be addressed in callouts response
The Government must guarantee New Zealanders will not be at risk after making changes to the way mental health callouts are handled. ...2 weeks ago
- Poroporoaki: Kiingi Tuheitia passing
Haere e te Kīngi o te kotahitangi Haere ki o nui, ki o rahi I te pō ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party pays respects to Kiingi Tuuheitia
The Green Party is paying tribute to the Māori King, Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero XVII, after he passed away earlier this morning. ...2 weeks ago
- Potaka Brings Whakaata Māori to its Knees
Today’s Whakaata Māori announcement is yet another colossal failure from Minister Potaka, who has turned his back on te reo Māori, forcing a channel offline, putting whānau out of jobs, and cutting Māori content, says Te Pāti Māori. “A Senior Māori Minister has turned his back on Te Reo Māori. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National restricts access to disability care homes
With disability communities still reeling from the diminishing of Whaikaha, a leaked document now reveals another blow with National restricting access to residential care homes. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt must help save 230 manufacturing jobs
Labour is calling on the Government and Mercury Energy to find a solution to the proposed Winstone Pulp mill closure and save 230 manufacturing jobs. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt shirks its responsibility to Whakaata Māori
The Green Party has called out the Government for allowing Whakaata Māori to effectively collapse to a shell of its former self as job cuts and programming cuts were announced at the broadcaster today. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ First Member’s Bill To Disestablish Auckland Transport
Today New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will restore democratic control over transport management in Auckland City by disestablishing Auckland Transport (AT) and returning control to Auckland Council. The ‘Local Government (Auckland Council) (Disestablishment of Auckland Transport) Amendment Bill’ intends to restore democratic oversight, control, and accountability ...2 weeks ago - Release: PM fails in constitutional role and leadership
The failure of the Prime Minister to condemn his Minister for personally attacking the judiciary is another example of this Government riding roughshod over important constitutional rules. ...2 weeks ago
- Waititi urges Rotorua Lakes Council to immediately stop works at Lake Rotokākahi
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and Member of Parliament for Waiariki, which includes Rotorua, has written to Rotorua Lakes Councillors requesting they immediately stop sewerage piping works at Lake Rotokākahi in Rotorua. “Mana whenua have been urging Rotorua Lakes Council to stop works and look at alternative plans to protect the ...2 weeks ago
- New Bill to crack down on youth vaping
The coalition Government has introduced legislation to tackle youth vaping, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) is aimed at preventing youth vaping. “While vaping has contributed to a significant fall in our smoking rates, the rise in youth vaping ...5 hours ago - Interest in agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review welcomed
Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have welcomed interest in the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review. The review by the Ministry for Regulation is looking at how to speed up the process to get farmers and growers access to the safe, ...6 hours ago
- Bill to allow online charity lotteries passes first reading
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is moving at pace to ensure lotteries for charitable purposes are allowed to operate online permanently. Charities fundraising online, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and local hospices will continue to do ...6 hours ago
- Tax exempt threshold changes to benefit startups
Technology companies are among the startups which will benefit from increases to current thresholds of exempt employee share schemes, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Revenue Minister Simon Watts say. Tax exempt thresholds for the schemes are increasing as part of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024-25, Emergency ...6 hours ago
- Getting the healthcare you need, when you need it
The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out today. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has revealed details of how the ambitious health targets the Government has set will be ...10 hours ago
- Targeted supports to accelerate reading
The coalition Government is delivering targeted and structured literacy supports to accelerate learning for struggling readers. From Term 1 2025, $33 million of funding for Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support will be reprioritised to interventions which align with structured approaches to teaching. “Structured literacy will change the way children ...10 hours ago
- Survivors invited to Abuse in Care national apology
With two months until the national apology to survivors of abuse in care, expressions of interest have opened for survivors wanting to attend. “The Prime Minister will deliver a national apology on Tuesday 12 November in Parliament. It will be a very significant day for survivors, their families, whānau and ...13 hours ago
- Rangatahi inspire at Ngā Manu Kōrero final
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini kē - My success is not mine alone but is the from the strength of the many. Aotearoa New Zealand’s top young speakers are an inspiration for all New Zealanders to learn more about the depth and beauty conveyed ...13 hours ago
- Driving structured literacy in schools
The coalition Government is driving confidence in reading and writing in the first years of schooling. “From the first time children step into the classroom, we’re equipping them and teachers with the tools they need to be brilliant in literacy. “From 1 October, schools and kura with Years 0-3 will receive ...1 day ago
- Labour’s misleading information is disappointing
Labour’s misinformation about firearms law is dangerous and disappointing, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. “Labour and Ginny Andersen have repeatedly said over the past few days that the previous Labour Government completely banned semi-automatic firearms in 2019 and that the Coalition Government is planning to ‘reintroduce’ them. ...1 day ago
- Govt takes action on mpox response, widens access to vaccine
The Government is taking immediate action on a number of steps around New Zealand’s response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. “Mpox is obviously a ...1 day ago
- Next steps agreed for Treaty Principles Bill
Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says Cabinet has agreed to the next steps for the Treaty Principles Bill. “The Treaty Principles Bill provides an opportunity for Parliament, rather than the courts, to define the principles of the Treaty, including establishing that every person is equal before the law,” says Mr Seymour. “Parliament ...1 day ago
- Government unlocking potential of AI
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses. “The AI Activator will unlock the potential of AI for New Zealand businesses through a range of support, including access to AI research experts, technical assistance, AI tools and resources, ...1 day ago
- Promoting faster payment times for government
The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. Data released today promotes transparency by publishing the payment times of each central government agency. This data will be published quarterly ...1 day ago
- Government releases Wairoa flood review findings
The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. “We welcome the review’s findings and recommendations to strengthen Wairoa's resilience against future events,” Ms ...1 day ago
- Acknowledgement to Kīngi Tuheitia speech
E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward. Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...2 days ago
- Interim fix to GST adjustment rules to support businesses
Inland Revenue can begin processing GST returns for businesses affected by a historic legislative drafting error, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “Inland Revenue has become aware of a legislative drafting error in the GST adjustment rules after changes were made in 2023 which were meant to simplify the process. This ...2 days ago
- Strong uptake for cervical screening self-test
More than 80 per cent of New Zealand women being tested have opted for a world-leading self-test for cervical screening since it became available a year ago. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti and Associate Minister Casey Costello, in her responsibility for Women’s Health, say it’s fantastic to have such ...2 days ago
- Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document sets ambitious direction
Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose. “I have set up the Ministry for Regulation with three tasks. One, to cut existing red tape with sector reviews. Two, ...2 days ago
- Māori Education Advisory Group established
The Education Minister has established a Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group made up of experienced practitioners to help improve outcomes for Māori learners. “This group will provide independent advice on all matters related to Māori education in both English medium and Māori medium settings. It will focus on the most impactful ways we can lift ...2 days ago
- Government welcomes findings of NZ Superannuation Fund review
The Government has welcomed the findings of the recent statutory review into the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation and the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, Minister of Finance Nicola Willis says. The 5-yearly review, conducted on behalf of Treasury and tabled in Parliament today, found the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation ...2 days ago
- First of five new Hercules aircraft takes flight
Defence Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the first of five new C-130J-30 Hercules to arrive in New Zealand at a ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base Auckland, Whenuapai. “This is an historic day for our New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and our nation. The new Hercules fleet ...3 days ago
- Have your say on suicide prevention
Today, September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, a time to reflect on New Zealand’s confronting suicide statistics, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “Every death by suicide is a tragedy – a tragedy that affects far too many of our families and communities in New Zealand. We must do ...3 days ago
- Action to grow the rural health workforce
Scholarships awarded to 27 health care students is another positive step forward to boost the future rural health workforce, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health outcomes, particularly for the one in five ...3 days ago
- Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...3 days ago
- Sport Minister congratulates NZ’s Paralympians
Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has congratulated New Zealand's Paralympic Team at the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Paris. “The NZ Paralympic Team's success in Paris included fantastic performances, personal best times, New Zealand records and Oceania records all being smashed - and of course, many Kiwis on ...3 days ago
- Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations
A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report. “It will have the mandate ...6 days ago
- Passport wait times back on-track
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...6 days ago
- New appointments to the FMA board
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...6 days ago
- District Court judges appointed
Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...6 days ago
- Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand
Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...7 days ago
- New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender
New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...1 week ago
- Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...1 week ago
- Improving access to finance for Kiwis
5 September 2024 The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...1 week ago
- Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia
As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...1 week ago
- Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer
Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations. “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...1 week ago
- More choice and competition in building products
A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...1 week ago
- Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul
On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...1 week ago
- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...1 week ago
- International tourism continuing to bounce back
Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...1 week ago
- Call for inquiry into NZ intelligence Gaza links
A group of legal experts has asked the spy watchdog to investigate whether New Zealand intelligence is aiding Israel’s war in Gaza, arguing there is a “plausible case” that the country is complicit in breaches of international law.Concern over the situation in Gaza is growing as the war’s one-year anniversary ...1 hour ago - Does the Albanese government’s proposed ‘hate speech’ law give us what we need?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke McNamara, Professor, UNSW Sydney Back in May, the Albanese government told us to expect strict new hate speech laws. In its bill introduced to parliament this week, though, the government has stepped back from the plan to criminalise racist hate ...1 hour ago - The government has a new plan for residential aged care. Here’s what’s changing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Sutton, Associate Professor of Accounting, University of Technology Sydney In Green/Shutterstock After months of negotiations between the major parties, the government has announced it will implement the Aged Care Taskforce recommendations. The government already signalled back in March that ...2 hours ago
- South Waikato District Council considers whether to fund Tokoroa Santa parade
South Waikato District Council next week will debate whether Anzac memorial events and Christmas parades are core council business they should help fund - or not. ...2 hours ago - Treasury urged govt to scrap Gumboot Friday funding, delay changes to tax package
Investment was "better directed to preventative initiatives", officials said ahead of this year's Budget. ...2 hours ago
- Sneesby’s resignation from Nine points to host of problems besetting commercial TV networks
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne Mike Sneesby’s resignation as chief executive of the Nine Entertainment Company completes a cleanout at the top of an organisation besieged by the consequences of cultural toxicity. These consequences ...2 hours ago
- Ministry for Regulation sets out timetable for action
The new ministry has laid out some time frames for getting things done. ...3 hours ago
- Farm fences trouble turtles in search of water. Here’s how to help
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Nordberg, Senior Lecturer (Applied Ecology and Landscape Management), University of New England Eric Nordberg Freshwater turtles live in farm dams, creeks and wetlands across Australia. They often travel over land when these wetlands or farm dams dry up, or during ...3 hours ago
- Kids under 13 use social media. How can parents help keep them safe online?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karley Beckman, Senior Lecturer in Digital Technologies for Learning, University of Wollongong Luiza Kamalova/Shutterstock , CC BY Earlier this week, the federal government announced it is going to introduce a social media ban for children. It hasn’t nominated a minimum ...3 hours ago
- Aged care reform: self-funded retirees and part-pensioners to pay more as government aims to shore u...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Self-funded retirees and many part pensioners will pay more for their aged care under the government’s reform package, endorsed by the opposition and announced on Thursday. The changes involve a $930 million extra spend ...4 hours ago
- Instead of banning kids from online spaces, here’s what we should offer them instead
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Third, Co-Director, Young and Resilient Research Centre/Professorial Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University Banning children under 16 from social media sounds like a seductive idea. For overwhelmed parents navigating their kids’ lives in a digital age, this ...4 hours ago
- Age care changes will hit self-funded retirees and many part pensioners to sustain the system long t...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Self-funded retirees and many part pensioners will pay more for their aged care under the government’s reform package, endorsed by the opposition and announced on Thursday. The changes involve a $930 million extra spend ...4 hours ago
- New polling: half of Australians want gambling ads banned entirely; LNP has big Queensland lead
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Resolve poll for Nine newspapers, conducted September 3–7 from a sample of 1,614 people, gave Labor a 51–49% lead using ...5 hours ago
- Facebook has scraped public data from Australian users without an opt out. What can we do?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heather Ford, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney vectorfusionart/Shutterstock Facebook acknowledged in a Senate inquiry yesterday that it is scraping the public photos of Australian users to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models. Facebook’s parent company Meta claims this excludes ...6 hours ago
- Long-overdue Australian privacy law reform is here – and it’s still not fit for the digital era
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharine Kemp, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law & Justice; Lead, UNSW Public Interest Law & Tech Initiative, UNSW Sydney Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock Almost four years since the Privacy Act review commenced, the Australian government has introduced a reform bill that fails to ...6 hours ago
- Which gut drugs might end up in a lawsuit? Are there really links with cancer and kidney disease? Sh...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor and Director – Academic Excellence, Macquarie University Doucefleur/Shutterstock Common medicines used to treat conditions including heartburn, reflux, indigestion and stomach ulcers may be the subject of a class action lawsuit in Australia. Lawyers are exploring whether long-term use ...6 hours ago
- PNG’s Marape remains PM after no confidence vote against him fails
By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape has successfully thwarted a vote of no confidence after 75 MPs backed him and 32 voted for the opposition. But the session was not without drama. Just after 10am, after the opposition leader moved a motion ...6 hours ago
- In sports-mad Australia, new research suggests physical education can be undervalued at school
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Casey Peter Mainsbridge, Senior Lecturer in Personal Devlopment, Health and Physical Education, University of New England WBMUL/Shutterstock Sport is a significant part of Australian culture and for many represents national pride and social connection. So, it would be fair to ...6 hours ago
- The House: Analysing government answers on guns
Even when ministers are trying not to answer questions, they frequently give away a lot of information, writes Phil Smith for The House. ...6 hours ago
- ‘Insane, ridiculous and gross’: Under the skin of local body horror Grafted
Alex Casey talks to the creative team behind Grafted, a skin-crawling new local body horror. There’s a crumbling empty McMansion somewhere in Coatesville that became the “beating heart” of new local body horror Grafted, director Sasha Rainbow tells me. “When you walked in there, it had this creepy feeling, like ...7 hours ago - NZ concern over China-linked Pacific cyber breach
The Government is concerned by news of a cyber attack linked to the Chinese government against the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat , with the Asian superpower vehemently denying the claims.Newsroom understands the forum secretariat called in Australian cybersecurity experts in February over a potential cyber attack against its network.After investigating ...7 hours ago
- Alex Greenwich’s defamation win against Mark Latham shows political spite is not above the law
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich has been awarded $140,000 in his defamation suit against One Nation New South Wales leader Mark Latham over a homophobic tweet. Latham posted ...8 hours ago
- Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown proposes Point Chevalier-North Shore bridge
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🙂 You’ve made my day – Love it!
+1 A classic.
“real estate franchising” 😈
Classic!
Classic..
Mr Meech, If you teased this out a bit you have a best seller,I’d buy a copy ,or at least download it off the interweb for free, thats if they haven’t bought all the bandwidth with those glass beads,Ha. 😉
…and from Bomber Bradbury with a sledge hammer…ah dont you just love Waitangi Day!
‘Waitangi Day 2015 – 175 years of wilful ignorance and blind privilege’
By Martyn Bradbury / February 6, 2015 / No Comments
“175 years since Maori and Europeans signed a a Treaty aimed at allowing both cultures to live on these lonely cragged Isles at the ends of the earth…”
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/02/06/waitangi-day-2015-175-years-of-wilful-ignorance-and-blind-privilege/
Waitangi Day Bingo,
https://bootstheory.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/waitangi-day/
very good!…like it!….and lets hope certain politicians get given the reception they deserve on Waitangi…we need some entertainment
I guess that this is satire.
The TV One online poll last night said that for 66% of the respondents Waitangi Day had no significance whatsoever.
I don’t think that was satire.
these 66% are lazy thinking, irreverent, pretend ignorant slobs who just want the day off to drink beer and lounge around….but they love Waitangi Day!…as we all do , except maybe some politicians
“The TV One online poll last night said that for 66% of the respondents Waitangi Day had no significance whatsoever.”
They’ll be happy to give up their stat holiday then.
“I don’t think that was satire.”
Call it satire, or call it biased journalism by running an inflammatory question in a self-selecting, online poll which is inherently full of bias by default.
+100
which probably only proves the writers point about how the real picture has been skewed to comfort a section of nz
What I can not believe is that john Key used his annual Waitangi Day breakfast speech to make a pitch for a new flag again. Is there some big scandal happening right now that he needs to distract the media from? (Read this with a heavy dose of Sarcasm in your voice!)
how about sending a whole lot of Maori off to fight ISIS?
…or what he knew and when, about Nact MP Sabin’s scandal …. necessitating Sabin’s resignation…. and now the Northland bi-election…with Winston possibly winning?
Bomber Bradbury still going strong on JonKey on Waitangi Day:
‘Key’s extraordinary war rant outburst at Waitangi’
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/02/06/keys-extraordinary-war-rant-outburst-at-waitangi/
and
‘Does John Key have Alzheimer’s disease?’
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/02/06/does-john-key-have-alzheimers-disease/
(You have to hand it to Bomber…he is a real fighter!… and no time better than on Waitangi Day…I suspect a good dose of Maori and Irish/Welsh blood mixed together …and this makes for a good verbal warrior…there could be a bit of Scot in there too)
Yeah good on Bomber ! If I verbalised what’s unspoken in my mind about [Key] no one’d talk to me. PMONZ is an [redacted], POTUS licking, conceited fraud and we all agree on that. We just have different ways of registering that.
[Stephanie: there are plenty of ways to criticise John Key without the homophobic dogwhistles.]
I wonder what the problem with celebrating a national holiday here is.
Initially commemorating the arrival of Hobson on Jan 29. But this was not a holiday.
Otherwise we became a self governing colony in 1841. And a dominion in 1907. Neither commemorated by a national holiday.
“According to Dame Silvia Cartwright, eighteenth Governor-General of New Zealand, in a speech given at the New Zealand Centre for Public Law in 2001:[4]
This event passed relatively unheralded. It attracted little comment. This illustrates that what may appear as a constitutional landmark, particularly from this point in time needs to be seen in its context. And so, although new Letters Patent and Royal Instructions were issued in 1907, and the requirement to reserve certain classes of Bill for His Majesty’s pleasure was omitted, New Zealand certainly didn’t embrace dominion status with the vigour of a young nation intent on independence.”
Commemorating the signing of the Treaty Feb 6 – Waitangi Day only began in 1947. But was not a holiday, and as New Zealand Day, until 1974. It became the national holiday Waitangi Day for the first time in 1977 after legislation changing the name back in 1976.
We have no tradition of embracing our independence and nationhood with a national holiday prior to 1974.
For that Waitangi Day is not culpable but a legacy of less than out and proud New Zealand identity, more proud as a colony in the South Pacific of the home country.
In the negative reaction to Waitangi Day as our national day we have the legacy of proud colonial settler whose allegiance is to the home country, Crown and flag and securing and maintaining control of the settlement from Maori. In that sense our national identity is in the disrespect for Waitangi Day and honouring the Treaty by continuing policy of token settlement payoff and keeping Maori from real partnership status – all while subsuming them within democratic majority governance.
Maori were and never have been Treaty partners. This is a common and sloppy linguistic error. Maori were parties to the Treaty. That’s an undeniable legality. It;s amazing how many people confuse the the two terms.
Educate yourself, fool:
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/principles-of-the-treaty-of-waitangi-nga-matapono-o-te-tiriti
There are no agreed principles of the Treaty. There is just the Treaty.
As I say, educate yourself. You’re an embarrasment.
The Treaty was signed in 1840. Show me any reference to “The Principles of the Treaty” before 1940. 100 years without any reference to such principles. Show me any reference before 1970. Don;’t show me a fanciful invention of the late 20th Century. Repeating this fanciful judicial invention does not give it any greater validity.
You give a link which contains the following
“There is no final and complete list of treaty principles.”
Nuff said.
Game Set and Match to Fisiani as always.
It’s you who’s confused and thick as pigshit Fizzy Anus……insufferable dolt. Who was the other party to Te Tiriti then……19th century Martians for Christ’s Sake ?
Haven’t heard about a moonship settling down at Hararu Falls in the 1830s-40s dork. Just because TheFuckWitKey emabarrasses the shit out of himself and Aotearoa/NewZealand doesn’t mean you have to.
Sorry, Haruru Falls……just up the river from Waitangi.
your views while common are sloppy.
Care to point out in any version of the Treaty where the term partnership is mentioned. The parties to the Treaty were the British Crown and the Maori chiefs. Game Set and Match to the always correct Fisiani.
The principles of the treaty are as follows:
1.The chiefs of nz cede sovereignty to the Crown, forever.
2.The Crown assures the people of nz possession of their lands, forests etc, and their personal possessions (taonga, which actually meant “possessions”, not necessarily “treasured possessions” as it almost exclusively means today). Land can only be sold to the Crown.
3.Maori in nz have all the rights and privileges of British subjects
The treaty was a vehicle to establish a government in nz, which was seen as necessary for a number of reasons.
I can’t see how the principles outlined in that link have been drawn from the treaty, which despite controversy over the Maori and English versions for me is a very simple document. The versions certainly aren’t diametrically opposed and my reading of the Maori version makes it clear that Maori did cede sovereignty.
Anyhoo, thanks for a refreshing piece of satire with barely a trace of soul destroying nastiness or poisonous ill-will to be found. And no that’s not sarcasm!
*sovereignty.
Bzzt! Wrong.
Kawanatanga best translates as “governorship”.
A wry smile at a most well thought article
The bit that always hurts is war and that is the problem with the human race since the beginning