Sandra Coney notes the consequences of the unfortunate relapse by National to the 2005 era of Donald Orewa Speech Brash.
When he tried to bribe his way into office with an across the board tax cut programme, rather than help to those most in need – summed up as, Kiwi not those of iwi.
After decades of affirmative action to try to balance out the legacy of colonialism, they want to deny ethnicity/indigeneity has anything to do with deprivation, and that deprivation has consequences in poor health, poverty and so on.
It is about favour to landlords over tenants, to capital over people.
And implying that those doing it hard can get by, if the care less about those worse off than themselves. Typically this merely impoverishes the society in which such politicians operate.
We are already seeing the first wave of racist initiated vandalism and it won't be the last. It will probably end up in an all out war with some Maori reciprocating the vandalism. The outcome could make the societal division caused by Muldoon and Co. over sporting contact with Apartheid South Africa look like a Sunday School picnic.
This comment by Sandra Coney "Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and co have unleashed a raft of petty vindictive acts to put Maori in their place because they want them (subservient)" is unsustainable on the facts.
The Ministers in the new Government who whakapapa Maori hold (or have associates in) significant portfolios, including Health, Housing, Education, Conservation, Children, Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence.
The leaders of two of the three parties in coalition are Maori, both will be Deputy Prime Ministers over the next 3 years.
This is real power, real influence.
But Sandra leaves her best for almost last:
"Integrating te reo and other features of Māori culture into our daily lives makes us unique, something to be proud of. I believe it’s what most New Zealanders want. We celebrate when we see young Māori achieving, confident in their culture, excelling on the sportsfield. It reflects well on us all as a nation."
The problem is not the composition of the government, but their policies
What did the Health Minister say about ending the policy of advancing Maori participation in medical education? Nothing. Or ending the Maori Health Authority Te Aka Whai Ora?
Did having a former sole parent as head of Work and Income in 1998 or as Minister of Social Development do any good – Bennett ended the TIA that she used to develop her career.
John Key was raised in a state house, but the number of state houses decreased while he was PM.
Should we be grateful that two political parties that competed for votes by opposing affirmative action for Maori were led by two men with Maori ancestry so no one overseas talks about their racism, just their pandering to it for votes?
Having Maori in positions of authority enhances the power and influence they can bring to improving outcomes for Maori. That includes developing and delivering policy. The likely success or otherwise of policies you highlight are subjects of contention, even within Maori.
Those who chose to govern, without regard for the Treaty, after the Governor was superseded by the Premier.
When democratic government was first instituted in New Zealand, only adult males who owned or rented property of a certain value were permitted to vote
National has drawn support, and MPs, from Māori of two sorts: those with high iwi rank and those who choose not to go on the Māori electoral roll. The latter group (nearly half of those of Māori descent enrolled in 2018) has significantly affected the result in some general electorates."
"Labour has had much more support in the Māori electorates, which National stopped contesting until 2023. However, it recognised that it needed wider connections with Māori. In 2008 incoming Prime Minister John Key signed a support deal with the Māori Party, which held five of the seven Māori electorates, and made the two party co-leaders ministers outside cabinet. Among the concessions were Whānau Ora – a whānau-based health initiative."
You live in an unreal world David. It's one thing to have largely token Maori in your line-up, its another altogether to deliver policies that will lift Maori and the poor generally out of the doldrums. The previous government was getting there… albeit slowly due to the irritating interference of a world wide pandemic and extreme weather events.
Despite their pre-election rhetoric, this government has already sown the seeds of racism and potential social upheaval on a grand scale, and anyone who deludes themselves otherwise is – like you – living in an unreal world.
In short, they lied pre-election and they will continue to lie for as long as gullible voters let them get away with it. So, pick yourself up and return to reality or forever hold your tongue. 🙄
"Policies to lift "the poor out generally out of the doldrums", will have the advantage of lifting also the percentage of Māori who are poor as well. "
Unless you return them to the doldrums by demeaning them; for example,
"Unless you return them to the doldrums by demeaning them; for example, belittling their native tongue."
If people are sent into the doldrums by having access to tax-funded Te Reo lessons at any time they choose to do so, in many cases – at a venue of their choice if they can arrange enough for minimum class size – I think their view of "belittling" like yours – is flawed.
Also, it is a definite redirection away from the question of poverty. But that appears to be your favoured style, Robert.
(Interestingly, you have shown very little concern about the actual "belittling" of the words: woman, girls and females, lesbian, gay, homosexual, single-sex, mother, breastfeeding etc. that have been promoted by government.)
Your reply to RG @ 1:42 pm was full of ad homs. You also accused him of “a definite redirection away from the question of poverty” when RG’s was a direct and specific reply to your assertion of “lifting also the percentage of Māori”.
Your last paragraph in parentheses was a diversion and a personal attack on RG.
Your pathetic reasoning for your piss-poor comment is that you were copying RG’s style & preference and it is nothing but a passive-aggressive excuse for ‘engaging’ with RG (and some other commenters) in an inflammatory fashion.
Unlikely. I prefer my usual form of sticking to the point, and asking others to do the same.
But – as you may be aware – the personal appeal of The Standard is not as strong as it once was, so the visits will be sporadic, if that is of any comfort.
Thank you for acknowledging the problem and your commitment to sticking to the point. By setting an example, one can hope that others will follow it.
FWIW, I’m not bothered either way by frequent/infrequent visits and commenting, as I place more value on the quality of comments and what they add to the debating culture here.
The evidence is against you, Anne. The new Minister of Health is not a 'largely token' Maori. He is a highly regarded clinician with vast experience in public and private health delivery. The new Minister for Children and the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence experienced a childhood of "homelessness, poverty and neglect" (National Portrait: ACT MP Karen Chhour, from state child to Member of Parliament | Stuff.co.nz). These are people with precisely the real life experience to greatly benefit Maori.
"Smoking rates have been dropping significantly without the need for making the product illegal. "
Haha! Declined…because people saw sense…nah – the price increased, the squeeze was on – extinction was the natural outcome – but then – Dr.CigaReti, with Chris Bishop's hand firmly installed, called taihoa, and the tobacco industry heaved a (gasping) sign of relief.
Neither Robert, Patricia, nor I are mind readers and you could have made it clear much sooner that you were thinking of some kind of parallel between Winston’s horses and Rawiri Waititi’s hat. TBH, I don’t get this alleged parallel; does Winston ride his horse to Parliament or into the Debating Chamber? Try to be clearer from now on and you might get somewhere.
"David, Winston Peters called his party "New Zealand First" meaning????Well he did not call it 'Aotearoa First'….
A values statement plain to see. He prefers the Dutch derivative. That's hardly Maori."
That's quite an assumptive leap Patricia. Even for The Standard.
As for Aotearoa, it refers to the North Island. I hesitate to link to Duncan Garner, since some take fright over sources but he relates the historial use here:
Also, Winston Peters himself refers to his personal use in his opening speech to Parliament, so you can hear from the man himself what his reasons are:
Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, "the first European visitor to New Zealand", "named the islands Staten Land", but times change, and so may names – flags even. Early European maps labelled Stewart Island the 'South' island, and the South Island was labelled 'Middle' island.
I'm naturally conservative (don’t like change), but Aotearoa NZ appeals to me.
A Kiwi Myth: The Post-Racial Society
These attitudes still persist today partly due to the conservative nature of the social institutions in which these values are deeply embedded and partly due to our refusal to acknowledge them. The effects of these past actions are still felt today despite their discontinuation. Without recognising the harm that has been done, nothing will ever change and history is liable to repeat itself.
The leaders of two of the three parties in coalition are Maori, both will be Deputy Prime Ministers over the next 3 years.
This is real power, real influence.
It is. But, they still have to work within hugely problematic policy positions which presumably they largely agree with.
And, women have long known that having women in positions of power is a two edged sword. It can create a false impression about equity and equality. Hence when I argue that we would be better off letting women run things for a while lefty dudes (and dudettes) bring up Thatcher. The right know full well that it's possible to put women into positions of power and still control women's power. Hence Shipley, Richardson and Bennett and the terrible things done to poor women by their hands.
That there are Māori in the new government is a good thing. But it's also something that should just be happening now to create political diversity and representation. It doesn't signify much about policy though.
Policy is not divorced from increased political diversity and representation. For example, I would argue that Shane Reti's background gives him a unique perspective to achieve greater equity for Maori in targeting immunisation rates, which have declined significantly in recent years.
Overall Māori immunisation rates had been declining gradually before Covid-19 but this decline accelerated during the pandemic and it was much faster compared to the total NZ population. The result is that Māori have fallen even further behind.
As always, it helps to strengthen your argument if you support them with evidence/data from reputable sources. Just saying.
I think immunisation rates fell across all vaccinations and across all ethnicities (except Asian perhaps). The overall immunisation coverage is published quarterly but I’m not aware of an update with (nice) graphs. AFAIK, the gap between Māori and non-Māori has not narrowed even.
I mentioned recently that I was considering moderation the use of the word cooker. Here I don't actually know what you are talking about, because the term cooker arose from the pandemic.
It would be great if you would find a replacement word that doesn't tie into pejoratives in the general culture. You're a good word person, see if you can find use a term to use that is useful and neutral.
sure, Reti etc will mean that NACTF will have a (somewhat) more progressive right wing position than if the benches were fill with white blokes. It's liberal conservatism.
You claimed that Coney's words about National's motivations aren't supported by fact. But you argument doesn't mean that National won't implement policy that will harm Māori, it just demonstrates that we have a 2024 government not a 1964 one. What you are saying isn't incompatible with Coney's point and it's entirely possible for National to make some things worse while improving other things that would otherwise have been dire with an earlier RW version of government.
For instance, National increase benefits in their last term. But not for all beneficiaries, and not enough to lift people out of poverty. They got a lot o kudos and political capital from the increase, which is how they play the game. Since Turei, it's not possible to be so outwardly benefit hating, but a lot of punishment can be done with a carrot in one hand and a stick in the other.
"But you argument doesn't mean that National won't implement policy that will harm Māori,"
Of course, but Coney goes far beyond that. She claims that "Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and co have unleashed a raft of petty vindictive acts to put Maori in their place because they want them (subservient)." And that " After decades of action, supported by all governments, to revive te reo, they are trying to stamp out any official mention." The first claim is bordering on irrational, the second demonstrably false.
Coney is expressing an opinion about the government's positioning. Her analysis is that a motivator for their policies is to put Māori in their place. Not everyone is going to agree with that, but I think given the responses of the three parties to 3 waters, as well as the referendum on the Treaty, it's not an unreasonable opinion.
As for the claim that this government is trying to stamp out official mention of te reo Māori, how they have handled te reo names in government departments suggests antipathy towards integrating te reo fully into NZ society. If it was simply a case of too far too fast and Labour having failed to bring people along with the changes (my own view), the messaging would have been different. As it is, the messaging has come across as putting te reo in its place.
A very short opinion piece. Have to wonder whether it had been heavily edited.
One thing she refers to and which I think is a major concern is the underlying intent of David Seymour and others to homogenise New Zealand culture. They want to dilute Māori culture and identity, and therefore reduce or remove the uniqueness and pride we feel as a country with that identity.
That is a form of cultural genocide, a way of finally delivering the full British way of life to NZ, and fulfilling the colonialist intent.
Absolutely, disgusting, what is it they say: it starts with animal abuse an indicator for domestic abuse.
This being a horrific form of animal abuse – to me a clear indication for follow up and prosecution. Encouraging young ones to an illegal act. Who cuts open the bely of a live animal?
The recently broadcast ITV series looks to be worth the watch. Covering the Horizon Software and British subpostmasters scandal, viewers are reporting their appalled reaction to what is being portrayed. (See comments on video below)
For those who don't know much of the detail, Computer Weekly are a great source, as they were actively investigating the issues when other media were not interested and following up:
"After more than 20 years, what is now referred to as the Post Office Horizon scandal has become headline news. Computer Weekly has played an important part in exposing what has been described as the widest miscarriage of justice in UK history.
In 1999, the Post Office’s single shareholder, the UK government, began automating accounting processes at about 14,000 Post Office branches. This saw the introduction of a centralised computer system from supplier Fujitsu, which all branches were connected to. This system replaced traditional paper-based accounting practices.
But problems ensued, and there was a sudden increase in the number of subpostmasters suffering unexplained accounting shortfalls. Rather than investigate the problems and fix them, the Post Office blamed the branch operators, many of whom it prosecuted for financial crimes, with many more made bankrupt and sacked."
One of the most saddest things I have watched in a long time, unbelievable what these people went through, are still going through. I found it quite hard sometimes it's quite distressing but worth it in the end. Reminded me about the Nova Pay debacle from years back.
Have it on my to watch list, but will wait until I'm in the right frame of mind to watch. I've been following the story since I heard about it a few years ago, and what I know will no doubt have me raging at the innocent tv screen.
Apparently, there has been some (belated) action on the part of the police to investigate:
I am not reassured by the fact this follows the release of the ITV series. It is as if the information had to be presented in digestible form before investigation, or as if it could no longer be ignored, now that there was more public awareness and outrage.
Post Office Counters Limited was created as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Post Office in 1987.
After the Post Office statutory corporation was changed to a public company, Royal Mail Group, in 2001, Post Office Counters Limited became Post Office Limited.
Royal Mail Group Limited, trades as Royal Mail, is a British postal service and courier company. It is owned by International Distributions Services. The company was established in September 2013, in anticipation of its initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange in October 2013.
So a privately owned corporation trading as Royal Mail owns Post Office Limited and thus limiting its liabilities serves the shareholders therefor since 2013 – and prior to that the value for the share issue by the government.
No wonder they ran when Second Sight saw what they saw in 2012.
The City of London, the Crown and corruption, a story as old as time. This should be before Law Lords and the Privy Council, some would say this level of corruption is a government level scandal.
The Times, the Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Times … where they hell were you.
Having a second look at it, it seems that the affairs of Post Office Limited and Royal Mail were separated prior to moves to the public share issue, so the government was quarantined from direct culpability in the courts.
The Cameron-Clegg (Tories-LD) coalition 2010-2015.
The Postal Services Act 2011 Post Office Limited independent of Royal Mail Group on 1 April 2012.
With MPs beginning to raise issues, the government-owned Post Office was forced to take concerns seriously. In 2012, to satisfy demands from politicians, it launched an external review and mediation scheme to look at cases where subpostmasters were alleging problems.
As part of this, the Post Office appointed and paid forensic accountancy company Second Sight to investigate cases. There were fears this would be used to sweep the issue under the carpet. But if this was the Post Office’s plan, as many suspected, it backfired. It soon became apparent to Second Sight that the subpostmasters were not thieves and fraudsters, but hard-working people struggling with a computer system and an organisation that cared for the reputation of that computer system over the very welfare of its subpostmaster network.
This did not save Post Office Limited in the courts when earlier judgments were overturned and the subpostmasters convictions quashed and compensation awarded.
Building systems without operator audit abilities is just outright stupid.
Allowing criminal prosecution by what is effectively a private company, apparently without govermental oversight, is just a obvious route to miscarriages of justice.
But doing legal coverups of technical advice in legal actions should result in the disbarment of the lawyers doing it. They are officers of the court and responsible to the court – not to concealing relevant information to the court.
Last week police said they opened a fraud investigation into the Post Office, saying officers are looking into potential offences of perjury and perverting the course of justice over investigations and prosecutions carried out by the Post Office.
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Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Asia Pacific Report A score of Palestine solidarity protesters draped themselves in white shrouds with mock blood in a sombre “die-in” demonstration at Te Komitanga Square — the heart of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city — today as speakers urged people to take a stronger boycott against Israeli products. The ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Tackling violence against women will be the sole agenda item for a national cabinet meeting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has convened for Wednesday. The meeting, held remotely, follows thousands of Australians attending rallies across ...
The protest outside the White House correspondents’ dinner hotel. Image: Anatolu video screenshot APR More than two dozen Palestinian journalists had called for a boycott of the dinner, writing an open letter urging their American colleagues not to attend. “You have a unique responsibility to speak truth to power and ...
“Our exporters should, therefore, be deeply concerned that the Fast-track Approvals Bill was not assessed for consistency with any of our free trade commitments prior to being introduced to the House,” says Gary Taylor, Chief Executive of the Environmental ...
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff is calling on all political parties to support the new Member’s Bill from Labour’s workplace relations and safety spokesperson Camilla Belich MP that would ensure negligent companies are held accountable when their employees ...
A historian with an uncanny track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go very wrong for him. ...
A historian with a track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go wrong for him. ...
Ngaio Marsh House is one of Christchurch’s best kept secrets – and contains more than a few mysteries of its own.Trust Ngaio Marsh to leave more than a few mysteries scattered through her house long after her departure. For a start, there’s the curious concrete portal in the garden, ...
Appointment viewing has been lost to the mists of time, but memories of Montana Sunday Theatre can still be conjured by hitting play on a particular piece of classical music. “You’re not going to be able to sell it.” Over 30 years on, Karen Bieleski still recalls how the task ...
Performance Review King Luxon sat behind His massive polished oak desk. It is Performance Review time. There is a knock on the door. “Enter!” says the King. In steps Minister of Disabilities and Carer Pedicures, Penny Simmonds. “I can explain everything …” she begins. “Fine,” says King Luxon, pressing the ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
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 The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
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Sandra Coney notes the consequences of the unfortunate relapse by National to the 2005 era of Donald Orewa Speech Brash.
When he tried to bribe his way into office with an across the board tax cut programme, rather than help to those most in need – summed up as, Kiwi not those of iwi.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/sandra-coney-theres-a-link-between-the-new-government-and-the-anti-maori-spiel/YCROSIUGO5FGJKHGJJXNDKQ3JY/
It is about favour to landlords over tenants, to capital over people.
And implying that those doing it hard can get by, if the care less about those worse off than themselves. Typically this merely impoverishes the society in which such politicians operate.
Sandra Coney is bang on!
We are already seeing the first wave of racist initiated vandalism and it won't be the last. It will probably end up in an all out war with some Maori reciprocating the vandalism. The outcome could make the societal division caused by Muldoon and Co. over sporting contact with Apartheid South Africa look like a Sunday School picnic.
This comment by Sandra Coney "Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and co have unleashed a raft of petty vindictive acts to put Maori in their place because they want them (subservient)" is unsustainable on the facts.
According to David Farrar (Where all the stories celebrating the increase numbers of Māori in Cabinet? | Kiwiblog) the current Cabinet has 7 Ministers who are Maori, that is 35% of the Cabinet. The previous government ended with 5, or just 28%.
The Ministers in the new Government who whakapapa Maori hold (or have associates in) significant portfolios, including Health, Housing, Education, Conservation, Children, Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence.
The leaders of two of the three parties in coalition are Maori, both will be Deputy Prime Ministers over the next 3 years.
This is real power, real influence.
But Sandra leaves her best for almost last:
"Integrating te reo and other features of Māori culture into our daily lives makes us unique, something to be proud of. I believe it’s what most New Zealanders want. We celebrate when we see young Māori achieving, confident in their culture, excelling on the sportsfield. It reflects well on us all as a nation."
On that I hope we can all agree.
The problem is not the composition of the government, but their policies
What did the Health Minister say about ending the policy of advancing Maori participation in medical education? Nothing. Or ending the Maori Health Authority Te Aka Whai Ora?
Did having a former sole parent as head of Work and Income in 1998 or as Minister of Social Development do any good – Bennett ended the TIA that she used to develop her career.
John Key was raised in a state house, but the number of state houses decreased while he was PM.
Should we be grateful that two political parties that competed for votes by opposing affirmative action for Maori were led by two men with Maori ancestry so no one overseas talks about their racism, just their pandering to it for votes?
State House numbers
https://fyi.org.nz/request/20087/response/77519/attach/3/Response%20letter%20to%20JB%20OIA.pdf
Having Maori in positions of authority enhances the power and influence they can bring to improving outcomes for Maori. That includes developing and delivering policy. The likely success or otherwise of policies you highlight are subjects of contention, even within Maori.
Until proven otherwise, fig leaf to a pandering to middle class settler concerns about Maori privilege.
Who are these middle class settlers?
Those who chose to govern, without regard for the Treaty, after the Governor was superseded by the Premier.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/2484/the-right-to-vote
Today those the National Party regard as, their voter base.
Also from Teara:
"Māori
National has drawn support, and MPs, from Māori of two sorts: those with high iwi rank and those who choose not to go on the Māori electoral roll. The latter group (nearly half of those of Māori descent enrolled in 2018) has significantly affected the result in some general electorates."
"Labour has had much more support in the Māori electorates, which National stopped contesting until 2023. However, it recognised that it needed wider connections with Māori. In 2008 incoming Prime Minister John Key signed a support deal with the Māori Party, which held five of the seven Māori electorates, and made the two party co-leaders ministers outside cabinet. Among the concessions were Whānau Ora – a whānau-based health initiative."
Party composition and organisation – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand
You live in an unreal world David. It's one thing to have largely token Maori in your line-up, its another altogether to deliver policies that will lift Maori and the poor generally out of the doldrums. The previous government was getting there… albeit slowly due to the irritating interference of a world wide pandemic and extreme weather events.
Despite their pre-election rhetoric, this government has already sown the seeds of racism and potential social upheaval on a grand scale, and anyone who deludes themselves otherwise is – like you – living in an unreal world.
In short, they lied pre-election and they will continue to lie for as long as gullible voters let them get away with it. So, pick yourself up and return to reality or forever hold your tongue. 🙄
"… its another altogether to deliver policies that will lift Maori and the poor generally out of the doldrums. "
Policies to lift "the poor out generally out of the doldrums", will have the advantage of lifting also the percentage of Māori who are poor as well.
This approach has the benefit of providing for all those in poverty – Māori and non-Māori alike.
"Policies to lift "the poor out generally out of the doldrums", will have the advantage of lifting also the percentage of Māori who are poor as well. "
Unless you return them to the doldrums by demeaning them; for example,
belittling their native tongue.
"Unless you return them to the doldrums by demeaning them; for example, belittling their native tongue."
If people are sent into the doldrums by having access to tax-funded Te Reo lessons at any time they choose to do so, in many cases – at a venue of their choice if they can arrange enough for minimum class size – I think their view of "belittling" like yours – is flawed.
Also, it is a definite redirection away from the question of poverty. But that appears to be your favoured style, Robert.
(Interestingly, you have shown very little concern about the actual "belittling" of the words: woman, girls and females, lesbian, gay, homosexual, single-sex, mother, breastfeeding etc. that have been promoted by government.)
Imho, anyone can suffer an attack of redirection. Happy New Year
I was copying Robert's style since it seemed his preferred mode.
Let's see if it works, even if it meanders away from the original conversation.
Your reply to RG @ 1:42 pm was full of ad homs. You also accused him of “a definite redirection away from the question of poverty” when RG’s was a direct and specific reply to your assertion of “lifting also the percentage of Māori”.
Your last paragraph in parentheses was a diversion and a personal attack on RG.
Your pathetic reasoning for your piss-poor comment is that you were copying RG’s style & preference and it is nothing but a passive-aggressive excuse for ‘engaging’ with RG (and some other commenters) in an inflammatory fashion.
Do you intend to continue this in 2024?
@incognito
"Do you intend to continue this in 2024?"
Unlikely. I prefer my usual form of sticking to the point, and asking others to do the same.
But – as you may be aware – the personal appeal of The Standard is not as strong as it once was, so the visits will be sporadic, if that is of any comfort.
Thank you for acknowledging the problem and your commitment to sticking to the point. By setting an example, one can hope that others will follow it.
FWIW, I’m not bothered either way by frequent/infrequent visits and commenting, as I place more value on the quality of comments and what they add to the debating culture here.
wait, people have access to learning te reo any time they like? Where is this mythical NZ exactly?
Thanks, Incognito and nicely put. I feel Molly has a chip 🙂
The evidence is against you, Anne. The new Minister of Health is not a 'largely token' Maori. He is a highly regarded clinician with vast experience in public and private health delivery. The new Minister for Children and the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence experienced a childhood of "homelessness, poverty and neglect" (National Portrait: ACT MP Karen Chhour, from state child to Member of Parliament | Stuff.co.nz). These are people with precisely the real life experience to greatly benefit Maori.
"The new Minister of Health is not a 'largely token' Maori. "
Dr, CigaReti?
Seems he's badly compromised.
I don't think so.
Shane Reti’s Martin Luther King moment for Māori health, and his plans to make that dream reality – NZ Herald
"“The dream I have for Māori is to lift pretty much every health metric we have to the level we have for non-Māori,” Reti told the Herald."
So, taihoa on the smoking-reduction programme then?
Com-pro-mised, Dr. CigaReti!
Nicotine for the Win!
(Lung cancer – it's a Colonialist myth! Smoke-on!)
Smoking rates have been dropping significantly without the need for making the product illegal. (New Zealand’s smoking rates continue to decline | Ministry of Health NZ). Shane Reti is far more interested in reversing the real declines in Maori health outcomes.
"Smoking rates have been dropping significantly without the need for making the product illegal. "
Haha! Declined…because people saw sense…nah – the price increased, the squeeze was on – extinction was the natural outcome – but then – Dr.CigaReti, with Chris Bishop's hand firmly installed, called taihoa, and the tobacco industry heaved a (gasping) sign of relief.
You are very transparent, David.
There are a number of reasons smoking has declined, all without making the product illegal. Meanwhile, Reti gets on with business.
Since when has prohibition of any addictive substance actually worked?
Gradual extinction plus reasoned dialogue with users will work.
Sudden prohibition won't, as seen before.
This process was sound.
It has been torpedoed by industry, using proxies ( ex-employees-now-Nat MP's etc.)
"He is a highly regarded clinician…"
Was
"CigaReti" is not a flattering handle.
It’s your handle. It’s childish and inaccurate.
Pointed and funny. Big ups to whoever conceived of that elegant handle!
Nicotine Willis is wry, but Dr. CigaReti is gold.
David, Winston Peters called his party "New Zealand First" meaning????Well he did not call it 'Aotearoa First'….
A values statement plain to see. He prefers the Dutch derivative. That's hardly Maori.
Further, when Winston wanted to advertise his history, did he bring his Kaupapa? No he referred to a cowboy rodeo where he was ‘riding again.’
And Rawiri Waititi wearing a cowboy hat in Parliament? This could get very silly.
What hat do you suggest he wears, David?
Top?
Maga?
A tweed golf cap?
A Phrygian cap?
What do you approve of?
You'll need to ask Patricia.
Robert asked you, so either you answer the question or you stay silent. Unless you’re trolling here.
Robert is being obtuse. He totally missed the point about the parallel between horses for Winston and cowboy hats for Rawiri.
Neither Robert, Patricia, nor I are mind readers and you could have made it clear much sooner that you were thinking of some kind of parallel between Winston’s horses and Rawiri Waititi’s hat. TBH, I don’t get this alleged parallel; does Winston ride his horse to Parliament or into the Debating Chamber? Try to be clearer from now on and you might get somewhere.
That is part of Rawiri Waititi East Coast Kaupapa with horses, and war history, so why are you bringing that into the conversation?
As for "silly" it is silly to assume Maori ancestry equals Maori values, so numbers become just that unless the community work s done.
Did you not realise that horses are part of Winston’s kaupapa?
"David, Winston Peters called his party "New Zealand First" meaning????Well he did not call it 'Aotearoa First'….
A values statement plain to see. He prefers the Dutch derivative. That's hardly Maori."
That's quite an assumptive leap Patricia. Even for The Standard.
As for Aotearoa, it refers to the North Island. I hesitate to link to Duncan Garner, since some take fright over sources but he relates the historial use here:
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/08/duncan-garner-should-we-change-the-name-of-new-zealand-to-aotearoa-no-and-here-s-why.html
Also, Winston Peters himself refers to his personal use in his opening speech to Parliament, so you can hear from the man himself what his reasons are:
https://youtu.be/KJafGRNvJwg?si=-xJ-lf8DgbOVXjqC&t=731
Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, "the first European visitor to New Zealand", "named the islands Staten Land", but times change, and so may names – flags even. Early European maps labelled Stewart Island the 'South' island, and the South Island was labelled 'Middle' island.
I'm naturally conservative (don’t like change), but Aotearoa NZ appeals to me.
"According to David Farrar"
Dies laughing.
It is. But, they still have to work within hugely problematic policy positions which presumably they largely agree with.
And, women have long known that having women in positions of power is a two edged sword. It can create a false impression about equity and equality. Hence when I argue that we would be better off letting women run things for a while lefty dudes (and dudettes) bring up Thatcher. The right know full well that it's possible to put women into positions of power and still control women's power. Hence Shipley, Richardson and Bennett and the terrible things done to poor women by their hands.
That there are Māori in the new government is a good thing. But it's also something that should just be happening now to create political diversity and representation. It doesn't signify much about policy though.
Policy is not divorced from increased political diversity and representation. For example, I would argue that Shane Reti's background gives him a unique perspective to achieve greater equity for Maori in targeting immunisation rates, which have declined significantly in recent years.
"…Maori in targeting immunisation rates, which have declined significantly in recent years."
Thanks to the cookers who voted for Winston Peters.
The immunisation rates for Maori were declining well before Covid.
Overall Māori immunisation rates had been declining gradually before Covid-19 but this decline accelerated during the pandemic and it was much faster compared to the total NZ population. The result is that Māori have fallen even further behind.
As always, it helps to strengthen your argument if you support them with evidence/data from reputable sources. Just saying.
did Māori immunisation rates fall across vaccines generally? Have they come back up since the covid restrictions were lifted? (or too soon to know?)
I think immunisation rates fell across all vaccinations and across all ethnicities (except Asian perhaps). The overall immunisation coverage is published quarterly but I’m not aware of an update with (nice) graphs. AFAIK, the gap between Māori and non-Māori has not narrowed even.
I recently made a comment related to this, with some links that might be helpful (https://thestandard.org.nz/is-the-coalition-government-back-jabbing-maori/#comment-1982250).
Fair call.
Cookers were active before Covid.
Are you suggesting they are the reason Maori vaccination rates dropped to the extent they did? Cookers? Really?
They certainly played their part. They played their audience also.
I mentioned recently that I was considering moderation the use of the word cooker. Here I don't actually know what you are talking about, because the term cooker arose from the pandemic.
It would be great if you would find a replacement word that doesn't tie into pejoratives in the general culture. You're a good word person, see if you can find use a term to use that is useful and neutral.
sure, Reti etc will mean that NACTF will have a (somewhat) more progressive right wing position than if the benches were fill with white blokes. It's liberal conservatism.
You claimed that Coney's words about National's motivations aren't supported by fact. But you argument doesn't mean that National won't implement policy that will harm Māori, it just demonstrates that we have a 2024 government not a 1964 one. What you are saying isn't incompatible with Coney's point and it's entirely possible for National to make some things worse while improving other things that would otherwise have been dire with an earlier RW version of government.
For instance, National increase benefits in their last term. But not for all beneficiaries, and not enough to lift people out of poverty. They got a lot o kudos and political capital from the increase, which is how they play the game. Since Turei, it's not possible to be so outwardly benefit hating, but a lot of punishment can be done with a carrot in one hand and a stick in the other.
"But you argument doesn't mean that National won't implement policy that will harm Māori,"
Of course, but Coney goes far beyond that. She claims that "Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and co have unleashed a raft of petty vindictive acts to put Maori in their place because they want them (subservient)." And that " After decades of action, supported by all governments, to revive te reo, they are trying to stamp out any official mention." The first claim is bordering on irrational, the second demonstrably false.
"Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and co have unleashed a raft of petty vindictive acts…"
Coney is correct, it's plain to see to all but the craven
… and the blind.
Coney is expressing an opinion about the government's positioning. Her analysis is that a motivator for their policies is to put Māori in their place. Not everyone is going to agree with that, but I think given the responses of the three parties to 3 waters, as well as the referendum on the Treaty, it's not an unreasonable opinion.
As for the claim that this government is trying to stamp out official mention of te reo Māori, how they have handled te reo names in government departments suggests antipathy towards integrating te reo fully into NZ society. If it was simply a case of too far too fast and Labour having failed to bring people along with the changes (my own view), the messaging would have been different. As it is, the messaging has come across as putting te reo in its place.
Thanks, Weka. We can disagree but those are reasonable thoughts.
A very short opinion piece. Have to wonder whether it had been heavily edited.
One thing she refers to and which I think is a major concern is the underlying intent of David Seymour and others to homogenise New Zealand culture. They want to dilute Māori culture and identity, and therefore reduce or remove the uniqueness and pride we feel as a country with that identity.
That is a form of cultural genocide, a way of finally delivering the full British way of life to NZ, and fulfilling the colonialist intent.
100% support, Muttonbird.
This is one of the most excellent articles on AI that I’ve read in a while.
https://theconversation.com/ai-is-our-promethean-fire-using-it-wisely-means-knowing-its-true-nature-and-our-own-minds-219320
Name them and shame them, who the heck would do this to an animal?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/woman-mocked-for-trying-to-stop-group-cutting-pregnant-shark-open-alive/JV2Z4B32PNAZPJJQAEH3LFVNE4/
Absolutely, disgusting, what is it they say: it starts with animal abuse an indicator for domestic abuse.
This being a horrific form of animal abuse – to me a clear indication for follow up and prosecution. Encouraging young ones to an illegal act. Who cuts open the bely of a live animal?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9024712/
The recently broadcast ITV series looks to be worth the watch. Covering the Horizon Software and British subpostmasters scandal, viewers are reporting their appalled reaction to what is being portrayed. (See comments on video below)
Series trailer for Mr Bates vs The Post Office:
https://youtu.be/zPkvYXufpAY?si=_039M__816Kdbydx
For those who don't know much of the detail, Computer Weekly are a great source, as they were actively investigating the issues when other media were not interested and following up:
https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Post-Office-Horizon-scandal-explained-everything-you-need-to-know
"After more than 20 years, what is now referred to as the Post Office Horizon scandal has become headline news. Computer Weekly has played an important part in exposing what has been described as the widest miscarriage of justice in UK history.
In 1999, the Post Office’s single shareholder, the UK government, began automating accounting processes at about 14,000 Post Office branches. This saw the introduction of a centralised computer system from supplier Fujitsu, which all branches were connected to. This system replaced traditional paper-based accounting practices.
But problems ensued, and there was a sudden increase in the number of subpostmasters suffering unexplained accounting shortfalls. Rather than investigate the problems and fix them, the Post Office blamed the branch operators, many of whom it prosecuted for financial crimes, with many more made bankrupt and sacked."
One of the most saddest things I have watched in a long time, unbelievable what these people went through, are still going through. I found it quite hard sometimes it's quite distressing but worth it in the end. Reminded me about the Nova Pay debacle from years back.
Have it on my to watch list, but will wait until I'm in the right frame of mind to watch. I've been following the story since I heard about it a few years ago, and what I know will no doubt have me raging at the innocent tv screen.
Apparently, there has been some (belated) action on the part of the police to investigate:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/police-horizon-post-office-metropolitan-police-toby-jones-b2474108.html
I am not reassured by the fact this follows the release of the ITV series. It is as if the information had to be presented in digestible form before investigation, or as if it could no longer be ignored, now that there was more public awareness and outrage.
Post Office Counters Limited was created as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Post Office in 1987.
After the Post Office statutory corporation was changed to a public company, Royal Mail Group, in 2001, Post Office Counters Limited became Post Office Limited.
Royal Mail Group Limited, trades as Royal Mail, is a British postal service and courier company. It is owned by International Distributions Services. The company was established in September 2013, in anticipation of its initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange in October 2013.
So a privately owned corporation trading as Royal Mail owns Post Office Limited and thus limiting its liabilities serves the shareholders therefor since 2013 – and prior to that the value for the share issue by the government.
No wonder they ran when Second Sight saw what they saw in 2012.
The City of London, the Crown and corruption, a story as old as time. This should be before Law Lords and the Privy Council, some would say this level of corruption is a government level scandal.
The Times, the Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Times … where they hell were you.
Having a second look at it, it seems that the affairs of Post Office Limited and Royal Mail were separated prior to moves to the public share issue, so the government was quarantined from direct culpability in the courts.
The Cameron-Clegg (Tories-LD) coalition 2010-2015.
The Postal Services Act 2011 Post Office Limited independent of Royal Mail Group on 1 April 2012.
https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Post-Office-Horizon-scandal-explained-everything-you-need-to-know
This did not save Post Office Limited in the courts when earlier judgments were overturned and the subpostmasters convictions quashed and compensation awarded.
That was horrendous.
Building systems without operator audit abilities is just outright stupid.
Allowing criminal prosecution by what is effectively a private company, apparently without govermental oversight, is just a obvious route to miscarriages of justice.
But doing legal coverups of technical advice in legal actions should result in the disbarment of the lawyers doing it. They are officers of the court and responsible to the court – not to concealing relevant information to the court.
All convictions are being quashed.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/01/11/hundreds-of-uk-post-workers-to-have-wrongful-convictions-overturned/
A lot of action very recently after a TV drama.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-67918976
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-67925304
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-67920145
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-67925872