This Government keeps claiming they are not ‘anti-Māori’.
This despite their Te Reo backlash, this despite their 8000 tobacco deaths (many Māori), this despite their gang patch law (aimed at Māori), this despite their anti worker and anti renter agenda (that impacts Māori disproportionately), this despite the attempt to re-write the Treaty Principles, this despite the decision to abolish the Māori Health Authority.
Despite all that, this Government argues they are NOT ‘anti-Māori’.
If that pretence meant anything, then this Government would not have misused Urgency once against night to ram through the amputation of the Māori Health Authority BEFORE it is heard in front of the Waitangi Tribunal.
It’s such a slap in the face to Māoridom and a clear warning that National, ACT and NZ First intend to use power with an Authoritarian streak.
We are seeing that with their contempt towards civil rights and their willingness to ignore the Bill of Rights and Freedom of Association.
This is an Authoritarian Hard Right Racist Climate Denying Beneficiary Bashing Government, and the sooner we stop pretending any of this bullshit is normal, the sooner we catch our breath at the magnitude of culture war revenge fantasies masquerading as social policy that these lunatics are ramming through with none of the usual oversight, the sooner we can start fighting back.
This Government keeps telling you it is moderate, yet they are pushing 13000 kids into poverty, taking $2300 from the disabled each year and now wanting to privatise Classrooms so they can afford a billion dollars a year tax cut going to their rich donor mates!
This is an aggressively Hard Right Government, it must be resisted because it threatens the very marrow of our values as an Egalitarian Liberal Progressive Democracy!
The agenda here only gets worse.
The Left need to sort their shit out and step up to recognising what the challenges are to our communities and country.
Universal Left social and physical infrastructure built using revenue generated from the rich is our way forward to a Broadchurch coalition championing Economic Justice and Community Resilience because National, ACT and NZ First intend to radically reshape the Government from a structure that builds Kiwis up into one that bashes the people the hard rights voter base loath.
This is beneath us as a people.
We are better than this.
We deserve better than this.
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Totally agree with this column. It is a Māori bash Govt. alright–and a nasty revenge Govt. in all respects.
The facts speak regarding medical services and Māori, Doctors admit withholding medication for Māori (“because they won’t take it”), there are few Māori Doctors, longevity is less for Māori…I’m not going through the full list of stats here, but it is telling that just as prescription uptake improves the Three Amigos are canning free scripts!
It is an openly racist Govt. backed by the approx 40% of dark NZers. Time for the fight back wherever you are in this country.
We must never forgive this government for this action. If they say they are doing it for Maori they are liars and hypocrites. The next time Luxon says his “deeply” drivel do not believe him. He is supposed to be a Christian. Where are the Finlayson’s in this terrible travesty. These multiple actions tell us where Maori are headed under this government health, smoking, guns, benefits sanctions gangs. This short sighted one dimensional government has no clue about the consequences of these actions. They don’t realize what benefits Maori benefit us all. Never forget that these actions are at the behest of the small minority ACT and NZ first not the majority and more frightening is Luxon has absolutely no power to override their so called mandate.
This government does not like being told what to do and they did not appreciate being growled at Waitangi. But our new government are telling Māori what is best for them, this is not Tino Rangatiratanga. Our government claims to know what is best despite this is not using evidence-based research to justify policy changes. This government does not actually care, and they have shown they will do what they like. In three years, we will have a new government who will have to fix all this mess as was the case last time National were in power.
It was campaigned on before the election, 3 waters and Maori health authority to be disestablished….why are you all so surprised it’s happened?
Is it because Labour had no 100days policies to implement or previous laws to get rid of?
This Govt is doing what it campaigned on and remain high in polling because of it, because the left doesn’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not popular, which it clearly is! (Just not with the left…surprise surprise)
Was the have a smoke bill not campaigned on, was the return of semi-automatics campaigned on? Nah! I am not surprised as last time national got in inequalities increased this is a pattern it’s to be expected but not accepted. Just like GST and selling assets. Luxon said no to selling assets, he said no to the guns, but he had to backtrack due to coalition. I read NZF manifesto it was very vague more like ideas and wish lists for their funders than policy.
In Keys government the Maori Party made some good gains for Maori more than they got from Labour that us why Maori ditched them .
Labour had a real majority and had respect for the people and didn’t do any big changes, this government can not claim that especially when the low voter turnout is considered yet is implementing changes that will destroy the social fabric of the country. You might be happy living in a police state but I have higher ambitions.
You are correct about National following up on election promises something Labour never did.Child poverty, housing the list could go on. While some actions are dictated by the need to win the support of coalition partners most are within acceptable levels.That is democracy.
Waitangi Tribunal is toothless, can only recommend.
It hasn’t had anything over it’s desk it hasn’t ruled against, it’s basically a rubber stamp for all maori claims, whether good, bad and the ridiculous.
Their scope will be narrowed by law and their decisions scrutinised by real lawyers.
Their ‘we know best’ attitude to agree with any and all claims will be curtailed, and they will be back in their lane that they were set out to be in when set up.
The Government’s we know best attitude is akin to Putin or Hitler regimes. I’m righty a strong advocate for such types.
I’m right is right
Yes, Trev and what happened to the Māori party for supporting Key (demise) and Tariana Turia a big supporter of National to deliver for Maori health nek minute they reintroduce smoking Turias’ policy went down the toilet.