WHETHER NANAIA MAHUTA followed the conflict-of-interest rules set out in The Cabinet Manual hardly matters. A dangerous political narrative is forming around the appointment of, and awarding of contracts to, Mahuta’s whanau in circumstances that, at the very least, raise serious questions about this Government’s political judgement. Enlarging this narrative is the growing public perception that the mainstream news media is refusing to cover a story that would, in other circumstances, have attracted intense journalistic interest. The conflation of these two, highly damaging narratives with the even more negative narrative of “co-governance” – has left the Labour Government in an extremely exposed and vulnerable position.
The Government’s failure to adequately prepare the New Zealand public for what Labour clearly regards as the inevitability of co-governance hasn’t helped. The party did not campaign on the issue, and kept He Puapua, the controversial “road-map” to full implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – i.e. co-governance – by 2040, under wraps. Similarly unheralded was the Government’s determination to establish a separate Māori Health Authority. And the application of co-governance principles to Mahuta’s deeply unpopular “Three Waters” project has done nothing to allay public fears that the country is being changed, in fundamental ways, without the electorate’s consent.
The apparent failure of the mainstream news media to follow up on the story is being attributed to the extraordinary conditions attached to the Public Interest Journalism Fund administered by New Zealand On Air. In essence, these conditions require media outlets in receipt of the Fund’s largesse to subscribe in advance to a highly contentious series of propositions concerning the Treaty of Waitangi – most particularly to the Waitangi Tribunal’s claim the Māori never ceded sovereignty to the British Crown, and that this “fact” requires the Fund’s recipients to accept and support the “partnership” model of Crown-Māori relations. The fear expressed by independent journalists is that the net effect of these conditions will be unquestioning mainstream media support for co-governance.
Since the widespread assumption among Pakeha New Zealanders is that co-governance and representative democracy are fundamentally incompatible, Labour’s willingness to be presented as co-governance’s friend runs the risk of being cast as democracy’s enemy.
Of even greater concern is the inevitability of this anti-democratic characterisation being extended to an ever-increasing fraction of the Māori population. Statements from Māori leaders appearing to discount the importance of, or even disparage, the principles of democracy have done little to slow this process. Neither have the intemperate statements of the former National Party Minister for Treaty Settlements, Chris Finlayson. His comment to the online magazine E-Tangata, describing those opposed to co-governance as “the KKK brigade”, merely reinforces the widespread public perception that the slightest public opposition to the proposed changes will bring down accusations of racism upon the opponent’s head.
The problem with this willingness to indulge in ad hominem attacks on people holding genuine reservations about the Government’s proposals is that more and more of them will decide that they might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb, and embrace the very racism of which they stand accused. In this context, the revelations that some members of a Māori Minister of the Crown’s whanau have been the recipients of Government funds, and appointed to roles not unrelated to the furtherance of the Minister’s policies, will be taken as confirmation that all is not as it should be in Aotearoa-New Zealand.
What began as an anti-co-governance narrative, and then merged with an anti-mainstream news media narrative, risks joining with a much older and more deeply entrenched narrative concerning the entire Treaty settlement process. This is the narrative that identifies the primary beneficiaries of Treaty settlements as a collection of Crown-assembled tribal elites, along with their legal and commercial advisers. Over the past thirty years these “Neo-Tribal Capitalists” have been accused of investing hundreds-of-millions of taxpayer dollars in what amount to private tribal corporations, over which the intended recipients of these funds – hapu and whanau – exercise only the most indirect authority and receive only the most meagre of rewards.
The result could very easily be the emergence of what might be called a “super-narrative” in which all the negatives of co-governance, media capture, and Neo-Tribal Capitalism are rolled into one big story about the deliberate corruption of New Zealand democracy. The guilty parties would be an unholy alliance of Pakeha and Māori elites determined to keep public money flowing upwards into protected private hands. In this super-narrative, the structures set forth in He Puapua to secure tino rangatiratanga, will actually ensure the exclusion of the vast majority of New Zealanders from the key locations of power. The only positive consequence of which will be a common struggle for political and economic equality in which non-elite Māori and Pakeha will have every incentive to involve themselves.
The painful irony of this super-narrative scenario is that Labour will have positioned itself as its cause – not its remedy. Rather than repeating in the Twenty-First Century the fruitful political alliance between the Pakeha working-class and the victims/survivors of the deals done between the Crown and the Māori aristocracy in the Nineteenth and Twentieth, Labour will be seen to have facilitated the creation of a Treaty Partnership that not only undermines democracy, but also exacerbates the inequality between Māori and Pakeha, Pakeha and Pakeha, Māori and Māori.
What lies ahead, as the institutions of co-governance take shape, is the coming together of two very privileged birds of a feather: the Pakeha professionals and managers who have taken command of the society and economy created by Neoliberalism, and the Māori professionals and managers created to produce and operate the cultural and economic machinery of Neo-Tribal Capitalism.
This, ultimately, will be the spectre that arises out of the controversy swirling around Nanaia Mahuta. The spectre of the worst of both the Pakeha and the Māori worlds. Worlds in which the powerful trample all over the weak. Where tradition constrains the free exploration of ideas and techniques. And where the petty advantages of separation are elevated above the liberating effects of unity. Where “Aotearoa” creates two peoples out of one.
Ministers husband financial beneficiary of taxpayer money through “consultancy” to another ministry, read, murky and very grey. Then the minister family becomes even bigger beneficiaries through the same route. In most countries that would be front and centre headline and I doubt the minister would last much more than a month, nor the government come next election. Most countries that is except North Korea and sundry other corrupt wastelands and now it appears, Aotearoa!
I too wondered why something as scandalous as this blatant conflict of interest was being ignored by the mainstream media but then you mention why public broadcasting money only appears to come for free and it makes perfect sense! I mean light weights like RNZ would never cover it, too lost in deep Te Reo pronunciations or Stuff.co (too obsessed about righting the so called wrongs of the ex TVNZ host), but I’m disappointed about some of the others.
You are also right, Labour were elected on policy they campaigned on, (something they’ve been especially poor delivering on), but not co-governance that they have ever so quietly toiling away on in the shadows. Some may think, sneaking around, so proud are they of their achievements they don’t want to share it with the rest of us. Can’t think why!
Sorry to say but co governance was not a policy Labour ran on and they know damn well if they had they’d been shown the door. And Labour seriously looks like it can’t be trusted anymore than any other government with hidden agendas, especially one so serious as this.
This country is far from perfect but this little taste of co-governance for me has left me cold. Especially with the media’s blessing!
$55 million buys a lot of looking the other way.
Or as news editors would put it “not newsworthy enough” or “not in the public’s’ interest”.
Bang – on! Keep going Ada — fully agree…what if it was National…Christ! The team of $55 million would go nuts..
It was National once, do you hold them to the same standard as you do Mahuta?
Sadly the National Party has a leader who is too gutless to scratch his own arse.
So let’s compare shall we, National never campaigned on selling state assets, ran a referendum, policy was voted down but went a head anyway because Key said he had a mandate because his party was voted in.
Yet this was not a problem?
Great essay Chris, you’ve summed up the current issues and the likely consequences nicely.
“Labour’s willingness to be presented as co-governance’s friend runs the risk of being cast as democracy’s enemy.”
Not so much a risk as a reality. You don’t hide your undemocratic intentions from the people, or talk about “redefining democracy” or vote for it’s demise (Rotorua Council) or put people’s petition rights in the bin without it becoming obvious that you are, indeed, democracy’s enemy.
You forgot to mention jamming Apartheid Maori Council seats down the voters throats.
Looks like The Platform has proven its value in a single article!
Your language does show off your racist side, it really does.
So being critical of a policy that separates people on the basis of race is racist?
Really!
(The word ‘apartheid’ means separateness in Afrikaans)
It’s not separatism ffs, it’s co governance. It’s you drawing race into it, race baiting one would call it.
Co governance based on what exactly. Oh that’s right – race.
The only people race baiting are people threatened by co governance. Its no good fighting it, its coming to a town near you very soon and its about time. What are you people afraid of , this should have been happening since 1840. If this was the case New Zealand would be a fairer healthier inclusive society .
Yes based on race so who are the racists?
Racist Bob.
Please explain your interpretation of co governance?
“…the net effect of these conditions HAS BEEN & CONTINUES TO BE unquestioning mainstream media support for co-governance.”
Fixed that for you
That sums it up nicely RW but will your audience understand? I fear not.
Your audience is afraid Bob just like when Key went with the Maori party in a coalition, they are a race based party, is that not racist?
No it’s silly your comment that is.
Those supposed‘ two’ privileged birds of a feather are I’d argue one and the same. They may differentiate themselves on the basis of race but they’re the same. Likewise, the poor and downtrodden here in NZ are of different ethnic backgrounds but all are poor.
As for the narrative about corruption, nepotism and the elite trying once again to enrich themselves being established. It’s already out there
But who is over represented in the poor group Yeti and who is over represented in prisons and in mortality and morbidity numbers and all the other areas measuring well being and how did this come to being?
Yes historical conditions ensured Maori were disproportionately in poverty that legacy has a very long tail. However if you look past race and at the lines of individual whanau and families, are outcomes for working class Maori significantly different than for working class Pakeha?
Either way does this change anything about the effects of elite interests or is elitist society made better when the elite look like us?
A trick is pulled in the US where there is no difference between the bottom 50% socio-economically of Black and White. The vast majority of racial difference is the top 10%. As the top 10% of whites are far wealthier than the top 10% of Blacks.
This shifts the racial average and is used to propagate an ‘oppression’ narrative that is leveraged to benefit the cultural elites. Does this also hold true for NZ when you account for socio-economic background in addition to race?
That’s right Tui, the disparities are wheeled out as caused by oppression. Convieniant for the narrative and justification for all sorts of separatist initiatives but proper analysis is ingnored. The prison population, for example, have many things in common – fatherlessness, school truancy, lack of academic and trade qualifications, drug and alcohol abuse and so on. Once these risk factors are properly accounted for the race factor (largely?) disappears. Similar analysis of a whole range of life success measures shows similar results – teach your kids some good ethics and commitment and responsibility and things will generally work out for them regardless of their race. Teaching them that their faults and failures are all someone else’s fault will only make things worse.
if your right david the ‘new maori institutions’ will collapse proving your point…won’t they?
Yep, what do think it does to someone, telling them their whole life that they’ve bee ripped off?
the same as the nats saying ‘bootstraps’ at every possible occasion I expect alan
The prisons are fill of the illiterate and the mentally ill. Why don’t you focus on that rather than race?
including white collars?………….
Check out African American economist Tom Sowell’s analysis of African American’s experience regarding the very same stats – mirror image of Tangata Whenua. His conclusion as to cause? Social Welfare. If you look at all the stats you mention prior to the welfare “reforms” that began in the 1960s (DPB being a prime example) and as of today for Maori, it is a hard argument to refute.
except for the fact that sowell is an ideologically driven ‘token black’ on the right wing team so needs to be taken with a 5lb bag of salt.
Saying Token black is racist
not when that is the actual role he actually fulfils it isn’t..alan
Sowell has his ideological blinkers, like most of us. But do your Marxist sympathies mean everything you say needs to be taken with a 5lb bag of salt? Despite your own biases, I’ve seen you make some excellent points on this site.
As for calling Sowell a token black?? How about engaging with the argument, and accepting the challenge to refute it, rather than indulging in such base ad hominem?
whoaaaa pope bit ‘salty’ there son…what’s up did the nasty man cast shade on your token black???
At some point people need to take responsibility for their failings, otherwise their lot will never improve. The social welfare system in it’s current doesn’t help them, it enslaves them by encouraging helplessness.
The social safety net should be not only uncomfortable but also very limited in the scope and duration of the support it provides. Otherwise we end up with multi-generational dependency from a group of people who really do believe it is someone else’s fault.
yup and the 1st step is having 2 kids (the research proves that’s optimum) whether rich or poor….8 kids aren’t god’s blessings
to quote The Specials
Ain’t he cute?
no he ain’t
he’s just another burden on the welfare state
instead we reward indiscriminate breeding
Well said. The secrecy under which the lengthy he Puapua policies were hatched, their being assiduously concealed from DPM lawyer Winston Peters, the subsequent attempts by Trevor Mallard and co to trespass and ban Peters from the Parliamentary precinct, inevitability lend credence to other concerns about Ardern’s relationship with this country’s political dynamics. The current DPM, Kelvin Davis, appearing to be yet another member of the ‘ white people are wicked colonialists’ brigade just like the Green co-leader, Davidson, is also disturbing, and especially in view of Davis’s previous job as a primary school teacher.
The jurisprudence of the Treaty of Waitangi, the treaty pertaining to this country, has been addressed by legal minds for decades, and suddenly, a group of unknown conspirators, under the aegis of the parliamentary Labour Party, have produced a radical interpretation of the Treaty, and amongst other things creating the co-governance myth which undermines the working principles of democracy and the democratic rights of all non-Maori New Zealanders.
Looks like the beneficiaries of this attempted major constitutional upheaval helped to engineer it, and the touchy-feely waffle produced spasmodically by the scribblers at Stuff, appears intellectually crippled and morally bankrupt.
“The jurisprudence of the Treaty of Waitangi, the treaty pertaining to this country, has been addressed by legal minds for decades, and suddenly, a group of unknown conspirators, under the aegis of the parliamentary Labour Party, have produced a radical interpretation of the Treaty, and amongst other things creating the co-governance myth which undermines the working principles of democracy and the democratic rights of all non-Maori New Zealanders. ”
Spot on Snow White!
Now how long before the army of TDB knuckle draggers accuse you of being a racist.
So down the gurggler goes the Ardern government.
Shona – I was once accused of being an incel on this site and I had to Google it to see if I am; I may be a fucking terf too, not sure as I’m still cisgender, dislike the term “boomer”, but admit to becoming a bit irrationally racist towards the immigrant ethnicity with loud brash sexist males. The deepest cut was the truck driver who shouted that I was an “ old bag “ so loudly that leaves dropped from trees, plus three sparrows, two tuis and a partridge.
Old Bag ??personally I am proud to an old bat!
Think of the job the next govt has – having to stop or reverse or fix about 100 secret agendas. We’ll need a Minister of Reversal.
This government has reversed 300 of Nacts secret cup of tea agendas so reversing 100 is still a plus in the positive. National require a minister of anything, the ones they have are Ministers of Appalling.
Yes the new government will be flat out uncovering secret agendas that the general public had no input to let alone vote on.
Largest political scandal in NZ history.
Please name the 300?
A plus in the positive?
It was revealing maybe a few years ago now, Jack Tame asked Kelvin Davis, something like ‘ did the colonists bring anything good with them?’
Davis’ jaw dropped and mouth stayed open in stunned surprise… It was obvious he’d never been asked the question before, or even thought about it.
After a minute, he said ‘we’re not here to talk about that’
And carried on blaming colonisation for everything….
Alan M What you’re recounting here is totally appalling. It is appalling that anyone as seemingly imbued with ignorance and racial prejudice as Davis is is a party leader, or even in Parliament at all. We probably all know or know of top notch Maori achievers, in spite of what Kelvin Davis implies, and he and Davidson’s very selective cherry-picking of our history is worse than socially mischievous.
The history of the world is cherry picked to suit whatever narrative is being recited. We certainly need change and cooperation not from a position of power but a position of trust and partnership. For whatever reason there is a sector of NZ afraid of such partnership and just want the status quo. The status quo gives us appalling numbers of illness, poverty, crime , gang membership etc.etc.. Any improvement in these appalling statistics will help NZ society and if you think that the genie is going back into the bottle you are very much mistaken. Whatever happens from now on will be better gained by cooperation not constant consternation
Agree Queenie.
One of the most curious aspects of the last year or so has been how the Treaty has suddenly become about a “partnership” and that co-governance is just to be accepted whole heartedly unless you want to be branded a white supremacist.
After all these decades why is the treaty now suddenly a partnership? Who is driving this change of narrative and twisting of facts (the Treaty was NEVER a partnership)?
Seems to me we have a clique of woke activists masquerading as academics and they are pushing critical race theory ideologies.
NZ has never been the perfect country but when compared to.most of the world it has been pretty close to perfect. Now these activists plan to tear apart the societal cohesion that gave us such a good life and what they plan to replace it with doesn’t look nice at all.
As an aside I wonder what NZ’s asian population makes of all of this?
Just ask them, most people will be open and honest if you approach it the right way. I’ve asked a few, in a non intrusive way. Not at all happy, all of them. .
Oh well Asians will by and large be keeping their heads down and working.
As they do.
Who is driving this change of narrative and twisting of facts (the Treaty was NEVER a partnership)?
As always, just follow the money…
eh Nanaia…
Hey dummy. Have a read of the Treaty and the Treaty of Waitangi Act.
Straightedge – This “partnership” interpretation derives back to Lord Cooke of Thorndon in 1987. It was his interpretation that was seized upon by Iwi leadership and guilt-racked pakeha liberals and that has led us down this path to separatism. Dame Anne Salmond wrote a very interesting essay on this interpretation here https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/anne-salmond-te-tiriti-and-democracy
Your good life you mean
Thanks Chris for your excellent essay which I much enjoyed.
I join those who fail to understand why MSM are ignoring this critical piece of news.
Nanaia Mahuta following the conflict-of-interest rules hardly matters, rules and guidelines actually mean nothing?
What matters are dangerous political narratives, highly damaging narratives and negative narratives. And they could come about because the media won’t make non-stories into stories – they won’t create the narrative.
Easy to sort things out on learning from the Mahuta situation. Remove the possibility of the narratives being formulated let alone told.
How about new conflict-of-interest rules? It’s quite simple really, would bring a purity to the landscape and leave no scope for political mischief makers.
How about: No family, parents, children, siblings, cousins, aunties and uncles, whoever, of any Minister, should work for any Ministry or for any company contracted to do work for the Government. Reality doesn’t matter it’s image, the created perceptions. Of course such an insane move would only move the target for those disenchanted that they’re not in power but they would enjoy a victory while turning everyone into losers.
Apparently, under the conflict of interest rules, Grant Robinson could safely and legally appoint his brother-in-law do the next tax policy review by asking Andrew Little to do the appointing.
Conflict of interest..didn’t hear the beying of blood on this… awaiting the line up to condemn this conflict, or does it not matter because it’s National…
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pms-wife-on-board-of-organisation-that-won-million-dollar-suicide-prevention-contract/D7KMZ3NOGGVBWROEJEWHDJFFTE/
And then this beauty…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2910957/Bill-English-buckles-over-housing-allowance
So this from Mahuta , to use Key’s words ” is no more than an unfortunate distraction “
Conflict of interest..didn’t hear the beying of blood on this… awaiting the line up to condemn this conflict, or does it not matter because it’s National…
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pms-wife-on-board-of-organisation-that-won-million-dollar-suicide-prevention-contract/D7KMZ3NOGGVBWROEJEWHDJFFTE/
And then this beauty…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2910957/Bill-English-buckles-over-housing-allowance
So this from Mahuta , to use Key’s words ” is no more than an unfortunate distraction “
Beying for blood???
Beying of blood???
Baying, bob…
Yes absolutely just pointing out Bert’s appalling lack of education particularly english.
Alzheimers Bob?
Explains every
Please accept my apologies.
I do, as always.
Very good Chris
This is probably the most important issue NZ faces in the longer term. At least among the things that can be addressed within these shores. And a delicate issue it is. It is courageous to take it on .
D J S
Thanks Chris for your excellent essay which I much enjoyed.
I join those who fail to understand why MSM are ignoring this critical piece of news.
That is twice you’ve failed now, Bob – once at 8.34 then again at 8.36.
Please try to keep up. You are holding the rest of us back, like an albatross around the neck.
Now please don’t say that you fail to see what this has to do with an albatross.
Thanks In Vino I shall heed your advice.
Yes Bob’s appalling lack of intellect in the use of a computer knows no bounds, much like his posts. His posts are bias before he even starts typing.
Yes I certainly know what I believe in and I guess that’s bias.
Correct but what you believe in and it being the truth are two separate issues.
If you say so.
I always tell the truth Bob, so yes I say so.
Reoliberalism
Well said Snow White.
Bob. Thanks. The MSM may be out of their depth on all this. My small dated and dating library on Treaty issues isn’t glossy mag level reading, there’re well- reasoned, well-researched, well-argued, often scholarly treatises, which can’t just be dismissed by tricky charlatans with their own agendas and so on – much of which mightn’t matter particularly if they weren’t so socially divisive.
I don’t know if we have the forums to engage in public debate any more, but social division is both a tool and an outcome here, with argument, discussion and criticism being labelled as “ racist”, when the real issue is the chasm between the “ haves” and the “have nots”, the latter not exactly having much clout – or much of anything, which suits the greedies of all colours very well indeed.
Not to worry, God’s representative of the poor is now leading the Nats, vulgar as hell; God knows whose girl is leading Labour; the Purples are sex-obsessed nuts; Maori buffoons; the elder statesman in the Italian-styled suit looking the most reasonable of all.
Give me a Class War any day!
thank you so much Chris and as always so very eloquent.
When I air my own perspective on the Mahuta issues I am accused of being a racist.
Will check in during the day to see if the knuckle-draggers on TDB do the same to you.
Mahuta will bring the Ardern Government down and once National are back in power perhaps twats like Finlayson will get to see the KKK ( or a kiwi version ) created in NZ. The very spawn of co governance. I am very afraid.
We already have the kiwi version of the kkk Shona we don’t need to wait they are hiding behind keyboards scaremongering and running around Aotearoa delivering racist pamphlets and then if they get caught like the Nelson couple did they have bloody cheek to ask for name suppression after dirtying a persons name.
Well said Covid is pa.
what a load of cobblers bert
meanwhile we have a gang called Black Power. Maybe they could take on this KKK Krew ?
“hiding behind keyboards scaremongering and running around Aotearoa delivering racist pamphlets”
What; like the ones saying “it’s OK to be white” that caused “outrage’ “A virtual lynch mob”, “Hate speech”.
Who believes this bullshit? Could it get any more ridiculous Covid?
And to add to that. The Queen dies and the Republic of born.
The Brown Table Elites become the upper-house along with a few selected elites from the cabinet.
All done with the flick of a pen by the GG in a DPMC meeting post Queens death.
CT at last something we can agree but sadly all the other issues where we disagree are actually the same. A corrupt group of politicians lying to the NZ public for reasons unknown.
When the PM of this country addresses the world (Harvard speech) and comments that those who disagree with her world view are;
“I imagine it’s written by a lone person, unacquainted with personal hygiene practices, dressed in a poorly fitted superhero costume – one that is baggy in all the wrong places.”
This is kindness in action but at least she is not calling them the “river of filth” which is the mantra of the person who is destined to take over when she throws in the towel
Yes Ross kindness in action.
Bob – can you discern nothing at all? Ms Ardern was clearly criticising the nasty sector of Keyboard Warriors. No way was she describing ” those who disagree with her.”
That is pure rubbish – Ross’s deliberate straw-man argument. And you fell for it.
Thanks again In Vino for your advice which as always I will respect,
Thankyou.
Gosh sorry,
By the way nothing can be discerned because it’s nothing?
Wrong. I could have phrased it, “Can’t you discern anything at all?”
Same meaning, and you couldn’t have tried a silly fudge.
Yes I defer to your superiority superiority.
Try
to
keep
up.
This exchange shows I’m quite a distance ahead.
Don’t forget the bottom feeders. Your whole diatribe is based misinformation, a prime example of a keyboard warrior .
Thanks so much for writing this Chris. This is a brilliant article
I also recommend the Platform. For those who don’t know of it google the platform NZ.
Yes it’s what’s been missing from the media in NZ.
Martyn contributes there too.
Yes Anker The Platform are running good pieces on this issue.
Did the Platform replace Whailoil?
It certainly looks like it, particularly given Bob likes it.
Martyn provides articles for The Platform.
Will.you tell Bomber to stop contributing to The Platform? Go on.
WTF are you on about coward? Good for Martyn but it still doesn’t distract from the main dialogue of the site but I fear it will be lost on you and your bosom buddy Bob.
Mr. Trotter has endorsed pieces on The Platform.
Labour are doomed next election….Too many chiefs will sink the waka …..Winston will end up deciding the outcome and perhaps a seat somewhere to the brave freedom fighters…..can’t wait to see the headquarters party on tv afterwards….Fruity crew…..the Nats and Associate for tax dodgers just need to stand back and watch the self destruction of the touchy-feely…..it’s low hanging fruit for them……As I have asked before…How much does New Zealand spend on Māori decents each year and are we , or they getting value for money in return….these figures being displayed in public will be like someone with a battery drill in the Waka….
tribal organisations are not democratic by definition, if we seek to promote tribal structures then democracy suffers…the corruption we see isn’t corruption in the ‘western sense’ but an offshoot of ‘gift giving culture’ in order to placate those with hereditary status. though in the current case it seems pure and simple corrupt favoritism at public expense,
Promoting tribalism can be warm and cuddly (lots of jolly kapa haka) but can have less desirable effects…all cultures weather europian, taliban or maori need examination…just because something is traditional doesn’t make it good or valuable.
as does many many facets of our contemporary culture.
Very well put gagarin.
Bravo Chris Trotter. A clear eyed warning of what is at risk
Given the Minister had nothing to do with the decision, there is nothing to report. The Herald did cover it, but just as part of its mission to promote unfounded stories against their political opposition (the winter of discontent in 2000 and the infamous editorial of 2005 demanding voters prevent a Labour-Green coalition) in support of Kiwi, not Iwi.
The purpose of the Whaleoil/Kiwblog + Taxpayer Union/The Platform narrative is pretty obvious.
The idea of partnership with Maori in management of land and water assets (post government annexation of iwi lands) and delivery of services to Maori via providers such as the Maori Health Authority (National set up whanau ora) as co-governance and some sort of threat to democracy is just the dancing cossacks of our time, the tour divide and the Kiwi not Iwi wrapped into one.
It is the great dividing line between the past and future generations.
Those who saw the F and S legislation as key to winning in 2005, or promising no CGT or wealth taxation to winning in 2020 know their own generation very well. But not those of the future and these articles will not age well.
Fabulous post SPC and telling it how it actually is. Plenty of chicken lickens on this site.
Not quite so nothing to see here SPC.
I would like to see the paper trail re the contracting process. How was the contract advertised? How many applied for the contract and what were their qualifications? What made Mahutas relatives the most suitable candidates?
Show us the information and it will end the speculation.
Mahuta also made a claim that Crown Law had advised her on co governance and partnership, but is not releasing the info. Guess it will come out in the court case. Will try and post a link
Some good points SPC.
SPC
You know those mafia movies where the Don has ‘nothing to do’ with, for example, the elimination of the rival gang? Or the raiding of a whiskey stash? It’s just like that here. Of course Mahuta had ‘nothing do with it’. On paper. On official documents. On anything that can be traced back to her. That’s why it’s her direct family involved. Plenty to report!
Chris, your last para…aren’t we there already? Isn’t the big job to patch it all up.
Bravo Chris. Excellent piece.
It always amuses me that the same people who lament that ‘trickle down’ simply does not work, don’t call out the same for the millions given to the Maori elite.
True – the Maori sometimes seem to have a tribal equivalent of our greedy neo-liberal 1%. Natural Capitalism in practice.
Yes agree In Vino.
Oh dear, I had better rethink.
No need I think recognition of another’s point of view is ok
Thanks for your malicious support, troll Bob
Malicious?
The bottom line is this:
you can have co-governance or you can have democracy
But you cannot have both
XXX.
So true.
Dubious, actually.. wait and see.
Incorrect Bob, so incorrect you look silly.
Thanks for your support Bert.
As always you’re welcome.
What a load of cobblers XXXXXXXXXX X
Definition of co-governance?
1st Paragraph Mr Trotter includes:
“A dangerous political narrative is forming around the appointment of, and awarding of contracts to, Mahuta’s whanau in circumstances that, at the very least, raise serious questions about this Government’s political judgement.”
My very first thought? All politicians do this, so what’s new? What’s the big deal here?
I bet everyone commenting could think of many shifty deals (especially Jonky) so why all
the drama.
Please someone tell me it’s NOT because the cuzzies are involved.
Just sayin’
if the close examination is ‘because moari’, I don’t believe it is but let’s say it is…does that make the actions themselves any less ‘corrupt’????
answers on a postcard to the usual address…
It will and should always be a big deal albeit I get your point.
Agree GB. I think it’s been a bit over-egged too.
All pollies have hired wives, kids and rellies in the past, present and will probably continue to do so.
Another race based red herring.
Does any politics happen these days or is just feeding into the kids and their cultural war they’ve planted front and centre in society.
Time the grown ups acted like grown ups and dismissed this shit once and for all. Why? Because it’s BORING!
You just hit the nail on the head,
Chris, I think we are at that point already TBH.
“Labour will be seen to have facilitated the creation of a Treaty Partnership that not only undermines democracy, but also exacerbates the inequality between Māori and Pakeha, Pakeha and Pakeha, Māori and Māori”
I am seeing this on a daily basis, division between pakeha elite and non elite, 100% pakeha and Pakeha with a drop of Maori blood, urban Maori versus tribal Maori, right voting Maori to left voting Maori.
NZ is a CF of epic proportions. I love the Queen and have always enjoyed the Monarchy but I do think NZ needs a total reset. At HMs demise we need to become a republic with our own democratically and thoroughly discussed and presented constitution.
No more treaty of Waitangi or past grievances. Start as we mean to carry on as one people moving forward together. No one person more special than any other but with compassion and support for those who need it.
Yes, absolutely.
Can’t see it fantail. Give up all our cultural background and cut mental ties with tupuna? No way.
And about a consitution – if you went to the touring discussion called the Constitution Conversation you would have an appreciation of how destructive that would seem to the old white guys who have had a wide door to the media for many decades; their private admissions are that they may not be great but they are better than Maori. There is no way they want to have a fair constitution not weighted in their favour.
Also a Republic would soon be as tawdry as the minds of these old guys. I admire the Queen and how Prince Charles has managed to retain his commitment to his role and country despite the difficulty of being forced into a marriage that was not of his choosing and which went downward as time went on. The Royal Family have remained people of worth not ruined by their position and money and we would be lucky to find people of their standing to replace them. At one time Brierley was very popular!
Exceptional, bang-on … though obviously deeply upsetting for the authoritarian users & abusers among the Pakeha Professional Middle Class … self-interested moral frauds that they are.
Wow, thank you very very much Chris,
for putting into words, so succinctly and exactly, many of my thoughts or incoherent ramblings.
As for “people holding genuine reservations about the Government’s proposals is that more and more of them will decide that they might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb, and embrace the very racism of which they stand accused.”
Yes that is definitely a thing.
Being accused of being a racist, whether in person or indirectly via media, eg Finlayson, opens the door to considering whether one is racist or not, and if not then is ‘not being racist actually racist?’ type mess-up.
Finlayson definitely played the man not the ball, and the hus short sentences were not any good argument for his case.
I think he even said something as weak and rediculous as Trudeau’s ‘because its 2015’ as a relevant point.
The New Zealand tax payer should be thankful the Ormsby family didn’t decide to name the water reforms 10 waters….
Rob
The New Zealand taxpayer should fund an official investigation and possible prosecution. If it’s against cabinet manual, it’s to be prosecuted.
Still waiting on the report into Bill English funding his wifes project…oh wait they didn’t investigate?
Obviously nothing to investigate.
World economic Forum ‘young leaders’ (Ardern being one) are mucking it worldwide in titanic struggle with multi-polar world leadership, finally bucking against it over the war orchestrated by NATO /Ukraine /Right Sector Banderites and the Biden crime family, in Europe.
This report nails the anti_democratic pretence of Schwab’s WEF adherents perfectly. And Ardern’s bad acting in accord with it in nz . . after all, it was the PM – the trend setter, following a clearly ‘agenda’ driven GAVI/WHO dictat; delivered egalitarian NZ, a mandated two tier citizenship. Two “types” under the law
Comply
Or be denied.
Ardern sits on the mantlepiece with Douglas, trojan horses of the unipolar world order.
Fabulous remo.
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