ACT MP Simon Court argued ‘Māori ceded sovereignty’ and the brutality of RMA changes reflects that 19th Century White Settler Arrogance

ACT, NZF and National have all danced around the central issue in terms of the relationship between the Crown and the Māori who signed the Treaty – did māori cede Sovereignty?

The Right claim they did, Māori argue they never did.

The truth is Māori never ceded sovereignty HOWEVER that doesn’t mean the NZ Parliament isn’t sovereign.

OF COURSE IT IS.

Parliament has the Police Force, the taxation system, the Judiciary, the Army – they are clearly sovereign.

But NZ Parliament being sovereign isn’t the same as Māori ceding sovereignty.

How we interact with an indigenous people who never ceded sovereignty is the unique strength of our system and we have been using co-governance as that means of enabling this truth.

The Right refuse point blank to accept that and remain latched to the racist lie that Māori ceded sovereignty to defend the ill gotten wealth from the theft and confiscation of indigenous land.

Hilariously the Right dress this colonised racism up as  defending democracy,

No where can we see the impact of this thinking better than in the horrific RMA changes.

Scrapping Iwi-Council Agreements, Removal of Treaty Principles and Diminished Māori Voices in Planning, this is what you do when you believe you have conquered the indigenous people, not signed a Treaty with them.

If National, ACT and NZF get back into power, they will cement their 19th Century White Settler privilege into place.

Old Zealand will strangle New Zealand and we will all collectively take a huge step backwards.

 

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