Waatea News Column: The hypocrisy of National’s fear mongering over Maori

ByMartyn Bradbury

The desperation driving Judith Collins in her attempt to bring back to life the ghost of Don Brash’s Orewa Speech by consistently referring to co-governance as ‘Separatism’ and ‘Segregation’ is not only ugly and disingenuous, it flies in the face of National’s own history of co-governance with Māori.

The He Puapua report is responding to the UN obligations Key’s Government signed us up to and National negotiated a very fair co-governance model with Tūhoe.

To now frame co-governance as a secret agenda to circumvent Democracy is almost Qanon level lunacy.

Personally, I think that this is not only race-baiting hypocrisy, it’s also a doomed strategy.

In 2023, for the first time ever, Millennials + Gen Xers will be a larger voting block than Boomers.

The next generation are not as afraid and reactionary of co-governance with Māori which leaves National fishing for votes in an ever decreasing puddle.

Voters aren’t looking for willful malice from politicians, they are looking for solutions.

First published on Waatea News.

Similar Posts

15 Comments

  1. At least Collins has put it out there which is more that Labour did and I wonder why. With so many Maori in the party front bench I would have thought they would have advanced it’s message loud and clear.

      1. The fact that Labour didn’t put it out there while implementing elements of it by stealth (& telling the UN that these examples meant they were proceeding) all without an electoral mandate means it’s racist.

        “Most transparent Government ever”

        1. ” implementing elements of it by stealth”

          Collins exact words, any of your own thoughts Robbie?

          Labour were elected so have a mandate, you may not like it as you clearly voted right. Definitely racist given Maori have called it. On Collins…
          “Over the past two weeks, there has been racist propaganda at rhetoric towards tangata whenua,”

          So Robbie there it is.

          1. I voted Labour, as I have done for almost all my 50yrs voting. They have no mandate for implementing their racist segregation policies that they kept from the public before the election.

          2. Again Collins words but if you choose to use those racist divisive and separatism words then let that be on your head and yes they have a mandate. I suggest you target your angst at the racist National party leader.

  2. There is no sign of Collins being desperate. If you watch her in the House, it is clear she is enjoying every minute of having Ardern on the run.
    The Prime Minister won’t answer even simple questions on He Puapua — such as whether and why the Maori Health Authority will have a right of veto (which is referred to in a Cabinet paper).
    Journalists — with the notable exception of Chris Trotter — are mostly missing the explosive nature of He Puapua and the media in general are making the mistake of thinking “There’s nothing to see here”.
    (The Herald in an editorial this morning passed it off as “Judith Collins’ latest obsession”.)
    My bet is that most NZers don’t buy an interpretation of the Treaty implying an equal partnership — as the media largely does. The media will realise this fact only belatedly — in the same way they couldn’t believe Trump, Johnson or Morrison would win an election.

    1. You mean the same way Trump lost an election?
      I still can’t believe that people believe Collins is credible, just think Oravida and Dirty Politics and then come back and give me evidence, hard evidence as to why Collins is credible?

    2. Well that’s bullshit and you do yourself serious credibility…

      “If Judith Collins had bothered to ask Ngāi Tahu about this proposal instead of seeking headlines, she would have the correct facts sooner,” said Dr Te Maire Tau, chair of Te Kura Taka Pini (the Ngāi Tahu freshwater group).

      “It’s deceptive and wrong. She needs to be called out. The tribe does not call for ownership of the assets. The tribe has been discussing co-governance of what will be publicly-owned assets.”

      N.Z. Herald.

      1. Ngai Tahu needs to be called out. Its been reported today that it was they who asked for the proposal which included co governance.

        1. Who reported this?

          Because the above is true, not sure of your source however.

Comments are closed.