TV Review: Native Affairs

Once again Native Affairs manages to lift the threshold for current affairs with Mihingarangi Forbes hosting Annette Sykes, Metiria Turei, Winston Peters, Shane Jones, Tau Henare and Pita Sharples in an open panel debate on systemic racism, free trade, welfare reforms and reparation to the Nepata brothers for the terrible manner in which the NZDF treated them.

Native Affairs have quickly become the gold standard of news and current affairs in NZ and last nights show managed to generate new ideas and answers in a format Mihingarangi controls with the cool charm of someone researched well enough to front foot any attempt at spin by her guests.

It’s great TV.

On systemic racism in our corrections and prison system, Winston admits there is institutional racism, Annette points out that many brown youth are being racially profiled, Metiria points out the Greens want to fight for reform . Interestingly Tau admits racial profiling and Pita acknowledges that he hasn’t done enough while Shane Jones manages to sound more sensible than he has in about 2 years.

Mihingarangi asks what Susan Devoy’s appointment meant. Metiria starts by claiming that it shows that the role isn’t important under National. Pita at the time said the appointment was ‘fantastic’ but he is backpedaling and has to be rescued by Tau who defends Pita. Tau say’s it’s not fair to criticize the appointment until Devoy is up to speed but Annette points out that for $200k she should already be qualified.

Winston states that Devoy is a great sportsperson and to give her a fair go and then he goes off into a weird rant that doesn’t seem to go anywhere.

Everyone on the panel just grins at Winston’s wild ride off to nowhere and wait politely for him to come back.

The next issue is free trade and neoliberalism. It’s so refreshing to watch a news show in NZ that does’t treat their audience like they are idiots and manages to debate issues of economic ideology.

Pita says he’s keen for foreign investment but against the TPPA. He’s asked if should we invest when it hurts other indigenous groups, and extraordinarily Pita says we should.

Annette points out that the market has not served Maori and she goes to the mountain top in what is one of the best tirades against free trade neoliberalism you will ever see on TV,

Annette passes off to Winston by noting MANA has more in common with NZ First economic protectionism and Winston launches into his strong national economic sovereignty argument.

Importantly Shane Jones questions inward investment, which gives an indication that Labour’s sudden lurch to the left isn’t just a new coat of left wing paint.

Tau is asked if free trade will see us become tenants in our own country, he sarcastically answers, “I think it’s happened already”. He says our safety net is that the world will need food and that tourism should drive a cultural rejuvenation.

They touch on Welfare reforms and the bashing of beneficiaries. This leads to debate about Labour/Green electricity reforms. Tau says it’s economic treason, Shane Jones throws some punches while Winston rounds on Tau saying that the treason is National flogging off of assets.

Annette says that MANA hopes Tau will cross the floor to vote for the first reading of the ‘Feed the kids’ Bill which has Tau looking surprised and mildly interested.

Interesting discussion on marriage equality and it’s at this point that Shane starts looking bored, and Annette smacks down Winston over his attempt to limit the Treaty as a political identity.

All comment about the Nepata brothers hurt while in service to the NZDF and there seems to be consensus that everyone has failed them.

Couple of problems in the camera room, but with so many cameras operating a little forgiveness.

All are very damning of Afghanistan engagement which leads to a preview teaser of a damning doco on NZs engagement of Afghanistan this Wednesday 8.30pm.

Another 5 star show.