This weekend at Ngaruwahia Marae a meeting has been called by Kiingi Tuuheitia for all interested persons to discuss the new Government’s policies.
There is a lot to discuss. Waikato Tainui have already expressed their disgust with attacks on te reo by seeking Judicial Review of the Government’s decisions, claiming that the policy is a breach of treaty settlements. And Act’s attempt to rewrite the terms of Te Tiriti o Waitangi through a public referendum have already caused a great deal of concern and opposition.
Yesterday Christopher Luxon made the pilgrimage to meet with Kiingi Tuuheitia which was I think a good idea, one that showed respect for Māori and a desire to understand Māori’s concerns.
From Radio New Zealand:
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has met with Kiingi Tuuheitia just days before a national hui.
In December, the Kiingitanga called a nationwide hui over fears of the coalition government’s plans for Māori.
Iwi across the country are set to converge at Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia this Saturday, to work out a unified response to the coalition government’s policies.
Thousands are expected to attend the national hui, Taakiri Tuu Te Kotahitanga, Taakiri Tuu te Mana Motuhake, convened by Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII.
The invite was extended to iwi in December last year, following the 165th anniversary of the Kiingitanga movement.
The prime minister and Kiingi Tuuheitia met on Monday morning, the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
“Today Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka met with Kiingi Tūheitia at Ngāruawāhia,” the statement said.
“The meeting had been planned since last year and was an opportunity to further build on the relationship they have established in the last two years.”
But this morning on Radio New Zealand Shane Jones did his best to undo any good that Luxon may have achieved by denigrating the planned hui and calling it a monumental moan session.
And he described the Government’s calculated attacks on te reo and Te Tiriti as something that people had voted for.
From Radio New Zealand:
Jones told Morning Report the policies were what the public voted for.
“What the country voted for was a revamp and a reset, and a reset’s on the way,” he said .
“Transitions are always awkward, but there’s nothing in the coalition agreement that negates or delegitimises the Māori language.”
He believed strengthening te reo Māori should happen around the kitchen table, and not in government documents.
“The place where the language exists and can grow from strength to strength is at the kitchen table in the hearts and minds of the people, not in KPIs with bureaucrats.”
Large gatherings at Tuurangawaewae marae were not unusual, but this one had gathered a sense of crisis, he said.
“Virtually none of [the iwi leaders] have read the coalition agreement,” he claimed. “So I’m just worried it’ll turn into a monumental moan session.”
It is difficult to justify his comment that the public had voted for a full on attack on te reo. National did not appear to have a policy on the issue. Act did and although its policy document was full of gobbledygook it did profess to want to help nurture and foster Te Reo. From the policy document:
Māori language and culture was nearly the only language and culture in New Zealand in 1840. By the turn of the 20th century, there were only 42,000 Māori in New Zealand, and some thought that not only the culture but the people themselves might die out. Today around 185,000 people can speak te reo, around three quarters of a million people identify as Māori, and the number of te reo speakers is rising. Nonetheless, some argue this number is too small to prevent the language from becoming extinct. Many people would like to see the language and culture preserved. The question is how to ensure this happens, and whether co-government would help.”
NZ First’s policy was more directive and contained this policy proposal:
All public service departments, Crown Entities and SOEs will be required to communicate in English except those specifically related to Maori.
I am not aware of any department, Crown entity or SOE what did not communicate in English prior to the election. And to claim that the 6.08% of electors who voted for NZ First did so on the basis that the Government could stick it to Te Reo users suggests that NZ First voters are even more red neck than initial impressions would suggest.
Jones claims that he is one of the best speakers of Te Reo in the country. His attacks on the use of te reo could be compared to former beneficiary and Minister of Social Development Paula Bennett’s cutting eligibility for the training incentive allowance for beneficiaries.
The timing and the tone are impressive. I did not think that NZ First would be so willing to so publicly undermine National’s attempts to smooth and calm Māori concerns.
You can see why John Key was so careful to rule out any sort of deal with NZ First. And it is clear that Christopher Luxon has no idea what he is dealing with.
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