Waatea News Column: Kelvin Davis makes the political speech of his life
Last weeks clash between the Māori Party and National in Parliament overshadowed one of the best speeches Kelvin Davis has given.
In responding to National’s continued attempt to paint co-governance as separatism, Davis said…
“Judith Collins dove headfirst into the politics of division and, in doing so, she tried to rewrite history, Te Tiriti o Waitangi. You see, Judith Collins is opposed to a partnership with Māori on our terms. She’s opposed to Māori asserting their rangatiratanga in health. She’s opposed to Māori asserting their rangatiratanga for Māori to come up with solutions to care for our most vulnerable children.”
“As Minister for Māori-Crown Relations, the solution is walking across the bridge that is Te Tiriti o Waitangi from the non-Māori world into the Māori world”.
…Ignoring his needless swipe at the Māori Party for being a 1.2% party, Kelvin provided a forcible argument for co-governance in an authentic way.
His certainty backed up by actually running these services previously gave him an authority that Judith simply couldn’t compete with.
I fear this desperate race-baiting is honestly all National have so Labour must be more assertive in shutting it down. Rather than fear the debate, Labour should lead it.
First published on Waatea News.
Too many people have underestimated Kelvin including some of our own. When our whanau had a problem with one of our whanau members recently released from prison we went straight to the top and they acted (Kelvins staff). Sometimes it is best to use this approach if you want to get traction after all many of our public servants will take some time to adjust to some of the critical but crucial changes this newly formed government will need to implement if they truly want transformational change.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Kelvin now ignoring the ‘be kind’ mantra as National now hell bent on causing racial division for votes. Good. I look forward to more of this push back against Judith and her ‘what’s wrong with being white’ crapola as she endevours to send race relations back to the 19th century. IMO, National have been given far too much room to run with this bullshit.