Waatea News Column: When is a Political debate NOT a political debate?
With the Election pushed out to October 17th, TVNZ has a chance to reflect upon its decision to ban the Māori Party from the minor leader debates between ACT, Green and NZ First.
TVNZ’s criteria has been 1 MP or 3% in the polls but seeing as Māori only make up 16.5% and the Māori Party acts as a political voice for Māori and gain most of their support in Māori electorates, the 3% threshold TVNZ are using is actively biased against Māori.
This matters because TVNZ is still a public broadcaster and as such has a responsibility and obligation that far exceeds private media corporations.
When poverty, inequality, housing, homelessness, domestic abuse, crime and the current covid virus all impact Māori more negatively then Pakeha, the Public Broadcaster’s decision to exclude the Māori Party from the election debate to discuss what happens next feels like an insult to an injury.
First published on Waatea News.
decision to exclude the Māori Party from the election debate to discuss what happens next feels like an insult to an injury.
It is further injury. Denying a voice to the all too often unheard, at that critical juncture in time when there could be some possibility of bringing about change for the better. Incredibly mean spirited and not at all egalitarian.
Still that party has less than 3% interest overall, means Maori don’t actually rate that party and prefer other parties. Probably because the Maori party screwed their own by siding up to National…. now Maori have walked away from them.
Labour know any gains by the Maori Party will be at the expense of Labour so will do anythink they can to deny the Maori Party any exposure. The current Maori members of government have done little to advance Maori . Andrew Little has not listened and pressed on with negotiations with groups not endorsed by the majority.