Prime Minister Ardern’s Waitangi Day speech

Written By: - Date published: 1:10 pm, February 6th, 2022 - 34 comments
Categories: jacinda ardern, labour, uncategorized - Tags: ,

Hawaiiki tangata ki Hawaiiki, koutou kua huri kaweka nei, haere, haere atu ra

Hawaiiki tangata e tau nei, kei ngā tōpito o te motu, tōia mai, kūmea mai

Māwhiti mai ko te rā, ka ao, ka awatea, he rā hou tēnei kua hura

Tēnā koutou katoa.

While this year’s speech comes in a different form, and we’re not all able to come together on the Treaty grounds kanohi kitea, this day remains of great importance to us as a nation.

I will return to Waitangi in person, but for now, I address you from Parliament in Wellington.

In previous speeches you have heard me use the metaphor that ‘Aotearoa will always have clouds’, to represent the challenges we need to overcome today and into the future.  How we need to continue to use every opportunity to cross the bridge, te arawhiti, and join our two worlds. And how we need to work in partnership to improve outcomes for Māori, and for all New Zealanders. While we always have more work to do – the mahi never ends – it is important to take time and reflect.

We are a country that takes pride in our heritage. A small island nation in the Pacific with voyaging roots from both Hawaiki and Europe.  Across Aotearoa there are stories of our arrival, stories of settlement, stories of conflict and of unity, of hope and hardship. These stories are our stories. And learning, sharing and acknowledging these stories that trace back to many different shores is crucial to our connections to one another.

I’m extremely proud that schools this year will have the resources available for them to teach New Zealand history in school.

Too many of our previous generations missed out on this opportunity, but I look forward to the future where our tamariki come home and share with us the history of our country and the places where they live and grow.  I am always heartened to hear about how schools and their communities are working together to make history more personal by telling and remembering our local stories informed by our local communities and iwi.

We’ll also have the opportunity this year to embed in our calendar a national holiday unique to Aotearoa.

Matariki is a time of remembrance, joy and peace – it is a time for all of us to come together and celebrate who we are as a people. This is our Māori new year and it’s only right we celebrate and learn more about Matariki later this year as our newest public holiday.

This year also marks 50 years since the te reo Māori petition was presented to Parliament – again, a piece of our history that reinforces the fabric of our nation. I am proud of the mahi, past and present, to ensure that this taonga is preserved, spoken and flourishing as a living language that connects us to our heritage here and throughout the Pacific.

These lessons and pieces of our knowledge are a foundation to support us in our journey across the bridge. They are not small things.

For me they reflect the path we have taken as a nation and show the place where we are today. A place where together we cherish the unique identity of Aotearoa.

Togetherness is something we have shown throughout the last few years. I know it hasn’t always been easy. There were many clouds and at times they seemed so dark, that the sun could not shine through.  But together we have, and we continue to, overcome.

I am proud of how we’ve come together as the team of five million through our response to the pandemic.

We managed to eliminate the virus long enough to give ourselves time to build up protection for ourselves, and for our whānau.

The vaccine has given us a chance to protect our loved ones.

You may have heard Minister Kelvin Davis talk about his great grandmother, and all the unmarked graves of those who in Northland died during the influenza epidemic after World War One.

This was a tragedy we could not bear to repeat, and that is why we have taken measures to protect the lives of our most vulnerable. We still have health provisions in place. And these mean we are not back to everyday life. Addressing you virtually shows that. But this is about protecting those we love.

Minister Davis tells the story of his great grandmother because it’s the only story he has of her. Tragically his whānau didn’t get the gift of time with her, they didn’t get to hear her stories, and his father didn’t get to grow and learn from his grandmother. He describes this by saying his whakapapa was broken.

We do not want to stand by and let that happen again in this generation.

Our response has given us an opportunity. It has given us a chance to protect ourselves in a way that those who lost their lives in the influenza epidemic did not have.

Together we formed a barrier to save our stories, and to protect our whakapapa.  But please, the mahi is not done. And we all have a duty to do everything we can to protect our communities with all the tools that science and medicine have given us.

That is how we protect each other, and our stories. These stories will form the next generation of New Zealand’s history in schools.

As a Government we know we have a responsibility to protect the most vulnerable, and we know in many cases that can be our Māori communities.

That is one of the reasons why we’ve established the Māori Health Authority and why it is so important to support and help turn around Māori wellbeing inequalities.

We want all New Zealanders to live longer and healthier lives and that is why we are working hard to reform the health sector. COVID has shown we need a health sector that is responsive to community needs.

And that is what we are looking to achieve, and the Māori Health Authority will be a core pillar of that in advocating for and supporting Māori health needs.

Because we have an obligation to make sure everyone has access to the healthcare they need, and that you don’t die younger than everyone else in New Zealand because you are Māori.

And yet that is not the case. Here we have such an obvious example of where we must do better, and where we are not passing the test of our partnership together. Yet efforts to address this have been described by some as separatist. This statement ignores the reality that:

  • Māori die at twice the rate as non-Māori from cardiovascular disease.
  • Māori tamariki have a mortality rate one-and-a-half times the rate found in non-Māori children.
  • Māori are more likely to be diagnosed and die from cancer.
  • And Māori die on average 7 years earlier than non-Māori.

That is the problem that we have to address. And if we are to make progress as a nation, we have to be willing to question practices that have resulted over and over in the same or even worse outcomes.

Whether it’s poverty, education, housing or health, solutions are required. Not labels, and not responses that say different policies for different communities is segregation. What we all want by and large for our people is the same. The same chance to fulfil our potential. To live decent lives. To make decisions for ourselves.

How we get there will differ. That is partnership. That is building the bridge.

What drives this Government is supporting our people, protecting our people, so they are able to share their stories and live full lives with their loved ones.

Their stories that tell us who we are as a nation. Their stories define our future.

Our journey together started from those voyagers from Hawaiki and Europe, and it has been shaped by our loved ones ever since. Today, we mark the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and our ancestors who signed this document.

We mark their journey, and continue to make our own, one that defines our nation. A nation we can all be proud of.

Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

34 comments on “Prime Minister Ardern’s Waitangi Day speech ”

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  1. Dennis Frank 1
    6 February 2022 at 2:14 pm

    COVID has shown we need a health sector that is responsive to community needs.

    Why haven't we got one? She doesn't venture an opinion. Neocolonial inertia, I presume. You'll probably prefer to go with a random act of god.

    the Māori Health Authority will be a core pillar of that in advocating for and supporting Māori health needs

    Let's hope it works. Supervised, managed & staffed by Maori? She doesn't say.

    That is partnership.

    Could be. Proof of the pudding is in the eating. Is it co-governance? No comment.

  2. Barfly 2
    6 February 2022 at 2:37 pm

    Oi! It's ……… Jacinda

  3. Chris T 3
    6 February 2022 at 3:08 pm

    Well I guess today kicks the idea she became an atheist off the table

    https://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=348282

  4. Chris T 4
    6 February 2022 at 3:11 pm

    Well I guess today knocks the idea she became an atheist off the old table

    https://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=348282

    • Puckish Rogue 4.1
      6 February 2022 at 3:19 pm

      I've got no issue with a PM being religious, surely no one else has?

      • Chris T 4.1.1
        6 February 2022 at 3:27 pm

        Couldn't care less. No problem with religion as long as not hurting anyone.

        She was brought up that way.

        Just seems to have been kind of commented on in the past from things I have read she had switched after her upbringing.

        Sorry. Shouldn't have commented. Just find it interesting.

        • Puckish Rogue 4.1.1.1
          6 February 2022 at 3:33 pm

          No need to be sorry, its a fair enough comment.

        • Shanreagh 4.1.1.2
          6 February 2022 at 4:54 pm

          To me the 'prayer' is very like those that you hear at Maori gatherings up and down the country …….calling for blessings on the work that had been done and is to be done. I don't call it a prayer that goes along with organised type religion. And you don't have to be religious to make a 'prayer' up.

          'Heavenly father' may be a reference to the Christian god, or to any higher power or to any of the Atua in Maoridom.

          She turned from Mormonism but that does not mean she turned from the concept of a higher power.

          Whatever it is……it is beautiful. Those who do not have a higher power will be able to 'self inspire'.

          Inspire us

          To be kind

          To be compassionate

          To be grateful

          To do good

          Sort of precepts to live by…….not religious at all.

          • Chris T 4.1.1.2.1
            6 February 2022 at 5:05 pm

            Think we may have to agree to disagree on that one.

            As I say. No problem with religion as long as hurting no one. But would prefer a leader not relying on some higher body to control stuff it's their job to do.

            But then I am an unapologising atheist, so am probably biased.

    • McFlock 4.2
      6 February 2022 at 5:04 pm

      Didn't know it was on the table.

      Religious, agnostic but playing the odds, or atheist and using it as a measure of respect or simply as part of protocol, no biggie.

      • Chris T 4.2.1
        6 February 2022 at 5:07 pm

        No offence, but the third seems to be shallow acting.

        • Shanreagh 4.2.1.1
          6 February 2022 at 5:19 pm

          When I was younger I would probably have agreed that this was a valid point ie not doing something as a measure of respect or protocol. Not now though. I have seen how good manners and the reference & deference to the things that are important to another party have opened doors that would have remained closed had sort of what I call a 'European approach' been used.

          When you travel you can see this reaching out in operation all the time when a traveller speaks in the 'home' language. They instantly become a person of interest. Respecting or observing protocol costs so little.

          Observing protocol is important too. The tip sheets when travelling officially that MFAT have about protocols are always important. Why place yourself at a disadvantage?

          Actually did you mean point 2? Playing the odds?

          Got no problem really……if someone wants to call down good on the work I am about to do or been involved with I’ve got no problem. The more hopes etc for good the better.

          • Chris T 4.2.1.1.1
            6 February 2022 at 5:24 pm

            Fair point. Don't agree. But needs must given the job I guess.

          • mac1 4.2.1.1.2
            7 February 2022 at 9:59 am

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager

            Replying to "Actually did you mean point 2? Playing the odds?", I remember a fine commenter on The Standard named Pascal's Bookie, AFAIK, last here five years ago.

            He was the one who took the bets on Pascal's Wager, the subject of the Wikipedia citing above.

            What are the odds for an agnostic doubting a wrathful God? Well, that is my interpretation, McFlock may have meant something else,

        • McFlock 4.2.1.2
          6 February 2022 at 5:27 pm

          heh, thought you might say that.

          Ever sung the national anthem?

          If I'm a guest at someone's house or event, and they say a grace, I say "amen". If I go to a wedding or a funeral, I sing the songs. Do I care about or believe in the man in the sky? Nope. But I respect my hosts enough to participate if it's important to them.

          The point isn't the words, it's the respect and the sentiment.

          And hell, most prayers are generally nice sentiments, anyway. Even if I'm not really "asking god" to defend NZ with freaking lightning bolts and typhoons, I'm expressing hope for NZ's future.

          • Chris T 4.2.1.2.1
            6 February 2022 at 5:36 pm

            Think that is where we divert.

            I'll sit through Grace. But no way I would say amen.

            I go to weddings and funerals for people in churches, but there is no way I will do the singing or reading prayers stuff.

            I don't have a problem with other people getting into it around me though. All cool.

            Love going to see churches and cathedrals purely due to the architecture. Which frankly rocks. To be fair it is due too how much money they had.

            And I agree that some prayers and bible stuff like the commandments are nice. But I just think most are just the logical way to keep a civilised society working.

            Did sing the National anthem at school from memory.

            • McFlock 4.2.1.2.1.1
              6 February 2022 at 5:51 pm

              lol might be the difference between an atheist and an agnostic – it's no skin off my principles to say the words, hell – they might be right, who knows?

              Ain't but a thing.

          • solkta 4.2.1.2.2
            6 February 2022 at 5:54 pm

            From memory i don't think i have ever sung the national anthem. Maybe at primary school. I would never say amen. I was a sort of Christian up to the age of about 8 so must have said it before then. I think it is enough to stand or sit respectfully as the case may be. Each to their own.

            As an MP and PM you do need to eat dead rats though, like swearing allegiance to the Queen.

            • McFlock 4.2.1.2.2.1
              6 February 2022 at 6:03 pm

              tbh, "amen" after grace was mostly reflex at the last wedding I was at, lol

              shit, that's an age ago now – BC (Before Covid).

  5. Chris T 5
    6 February 2022 at 5:20 pm

    This post will probably bore people to death, but it has always intrigued me the lengths politicians will go to normally avoid talking about their religious views.

    Well apart from the US where it kind of has to be a given to be Prez.

    • Corey Humm 5.1
      6 February 2022 at 8:32 pm

      Politicians religious views interest me too, whenever i think religion in politics I think family values neocon republicans (who usually end up being hypocrites caught having gay sex in the airport toilets), they'll invoke the name of Jesus to advocate spending cuts , anti gay (Jesus hung out with lots of dudes on retreats, and c'mon he kissed Judas on the mouth even though he knew he was going to betray him, sounds like a Grindr hook up to me) , anti sex worker (when Jesus hung out with sex workers) welfare cuts, wars , their love of the free market (all cos Jesus taught a bloke to fish) and use the bible to justify unaffordable health care or health cuts.

      They seem to forget all the good parts about helping your fellow man, judge not least ye be judged, Jesus healing people … Which just leaves all the angry scrary stuff.

      Same goes for politicians of all religions to be honest , I don't care what you believe in as long as you keep your god out of my law and quite frankly…. Don't go on about it

      Nearly All Religious holy books contain vile loathsomely reprehensible crap that would be considered without a doubt hate speech if they were published today, as gay man what's going to be interesting with the hate speech is where does religious freedom and belief become hate speech if the vile things your saying are printed in holy books.

      But I have no issue with Ardern doing a prayer.

      • Corey Humm 5.1.1
        6 February 2022 at 8:35 pm

        I did think this was interesting because one of the things the world and my generation loved about her was when that terrorist shot up my neighborhood, she offered only thoughts, not thoughts and prayers, NZ is not really super religious and the ones who aren't formal, I remember being freaked out while hearing cops speed up and down my street and being comforted by the fact she didn't do the stereotypical thoughts and prayers bullshit American politicians do

  6. Grafton Gully 6
    6 February 2022 at 6:00 pm
    • "Māori die at twice the rate as non-Māori from cardiovascular disease.
    • Māori tamariki have a mortality rate one-and-a-half times the rate found in non-Māori children.
    • Māori are more likely to be diagnosed and die from cancer.
    • And Māori die on average 7 years earlier than non-Māori.

    That is the problem that we have to address. "

    The ethnic wealth disparities documented in this Stats NZ article are not directly addressed in the speech..

    "The median net wealth of European people was $114,000, more than three times that of the Asian population ($32,000), five times that of Māori ($23,000), and nine times greater than Pacific people ($12,000)."

    "In this article, we discussed only individual wealth. Doing this does not take into account that Māori may also share in communal and tribal assets, such as land or wealth that reflects Treaty of Waitangi settlements.

    In addition, some ethnic groups may consider concepts other than those measured to contribute to their wealth. "

    https://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/wealth-patterns-across-ethnic-groups-in-new-zealand#:~:text=The%20median%20net%20wealth%20of%20European%20people%20was%20%24114%2C000%2C%20more,the%20total%20population%20was%20%2487%2C000.

    • Corey Humm 6.1
      6 February 2022 at 8:59 pm

      While I agree to an extent, and as someone from a mixed race family, I'd say the reason those statistics are so high is because so few have so much, if you have a small population and a bunch of disproportionately rich pricks it may seem like white people are on average comfortable but the average white kiwi has piss all money and can't afford a $100 crisis. People can barely afford their rents and groceries.

      My generation certainly doesn't have that wealth on average. My parents generation are gen x and that generation seems to have piss all money too.

      I think what the stats miss is that being poor in NZ means unsuitable housing because housing is so apocalyptically expensive, unhealthy food because food is disgracefully expensive, power too people will go without heat in winter, and because your poor your constantly stressing out over stretching everything and working yourself to death and can't get time off or can't afford to see a doctor well .. shit … The financial pressure and hopelessness is what's also causing our mental health problems

      Growing up in an extremely poor multicultural area of white people, Maori, Pacifica, Asian, we were all poor didn't matter what race we were and making a few Maori richer isnt going to do anything, it's just addressing the symptoms not the problem itself, the problem is the that NZ is an insanely unaffordable low wage high cost economy. You can make a few more Maori rich and change the statistics slightly but that's not going to address poverty, health , crime, violence mental health it's just going to look good on paper , besides it's not gonna win any votes there's far more poor white people than poor Maori just because of population demographics.

      We need a higher minimum standard of living for all.

      The left can do more to help Maori and anyone of any colour who is struggling by making their living standards better.

      Breaking people down by their race sexuality, age gender seems very unprogressive.

      Universalism and policies on class that's what the lefts supposed to be about and those kinds of policies can get a majority in a country where 50% of the population own less than 2% of the wealth.

      Creating more rich people isn't going to make NZ a fairer, healthier kinder society, itll only make NZ look good on paper.

    • Chris T 6.2
      6 February 2022 at 10:04 pm

      Apologies if anyone read that post. That was territory I shouldn’t have gone into and was a bit horrible

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