‘An insult to Māori’: Waitangi Tribunal appointment scorned
Iwi claimants in Manawatū have lambasted the appointment of Grant Hadfield to the Waitangi Tribunal, taking aim at his “narrow and misinformed” views.
In an open letter to Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro and every MP in the rohe, a collective of claimants under the Porirua ki Manawatū District Inquiry have criticised his selection and questioned the two-term district councillor’s interest and understanding of Treaty claims.
Hadfield, who has a background in farming and workplace safety, was one of many new tribunal appointments made by Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka earlier this month that courted controversy.
A number of high-profile members did not have their warrants renewed, including professors Rawinia Higgins, Tom Roa, and Linda Tuhiwai Smith.
Paula-Maree McKenzie, speaking for the collective and her hapū, Ngā Iwi o Te Reu Reu, said it was disappointing Potaka had replaced highly skilled and qualified academics with “the likes of Grant”.
“He did not attend our two-week hearings open to the public at the local Feilding Civic Centre, nor the hearings at Parewahawaha Marae and Te Tikanga. Both hearings accommodated waewae tapu [first-time visitors to a marae], allowing manuhiri [guests] to attend.
“If your own councillor rejects [the opportunity] to learn your local iwi and their Treaty breaches, why would he want to sit on a panel to reconcile others?”
Totally coward move by Minister Potaka to gut the Waitangi Tribunal and fill it with hateful rednecks.
Appointing Mad Dog Press was a slap in the face, but appointing a toxic right wing leprechaun like Ron Mark is like asking Sean Plunkett to head TVNZ and appointing a far right hate blogger like Philip Crumb who is a redneck from the ZB Troll farm highlights the hollow arseholes National are stacking every board with.
To place such hateful rednecks onto offical boards is like appointing arsonists to the fire department.
Sliding this news out late on a Friday afternoon in the hope no one will notice just highlights what a gutless nothing Minister Potaka has become.
If you aren’t disgusted by the naked racism of the Right then you agree to it and you are to blame.
Kiwis should be ashamed by this latest move.
This sort of shit is what Trump does, appoint acolytes.
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Nothing like a racist Maori attacking his own people .Maoris that hate other maoris are the worst type of racist around .
The irony is Potaka is an example the ‘elitist Maori’ often refereed to by the right tighty red neck racists. Sadly for Potaka he is just way out of his depth and will be cut loose just like Dr Reti.
Agree not only is he (Potaka) out of his depth he regularly shits on his people
Its common than your realize Maori are so disconnected and the most solidarity amongst Maori I’ve witness in my lifetime was the Hikoi to parliament.
Can’t be that disconnected when you look at our voting patterns during the elections
So the coalition are doing exactly what they were elected to do
Guess the left will have to win the next election or live with the consequences
The racist Right in A/NZ really do wish for a no-holds-barred, serious, civil disruption, don’t they.
Be very, very careful what you wish for, Righties!
Appointing Ron Mark, the mercenary traitor to this country who still hates the African National Congress for fighting against apartheid?
This will never not be funny.
“No haka Potaka” another bal’headed weasel if there ever was one.
Culture on culture, is sort if not inverted racism.
uncle tom-aaaaaaaaaaaaa – think you’re flash now, ay! get us an Uber to Wellington, cuz.
Shout out to Paula, one of our regulars at BHN