Post by Kiwi Frontline on Dec 14, 2016 5:59:24 GMT 12
Dominion Post 14/12/16
INCARCERATION STAT
Incarceration Nation (December 12) featured Auckland University sociologist Dr Tracey McIntosh claiming that from the time of European settlement "... there was a desire to incarcerate significant numbers of our people", "our people" being Maori.
This is simply not true. According to the Official New Zealand Yearbook of 1900, of the admissions to prison in 1898, Maori numbered only 134 of 1724 -or 7.8 per cent. That year more women than Maori were admitted to prison.
The significant growth in the Maori prison population share - 51 per cent at September 2016 - came with urbanisation and welfarism.
LINDSAY MITCHELL
Eastbourne
Waikato Times 14/12/16
TIERED CITIZENSHIP
I have written to papers many times decrying the fact that their seems to be three levels of citizenship in New Zealand/Aotearoa.
Is it racist, not PC, or simply forbidden by convention, to mention that the highest level of citizenship is for those with Maori heritage, then Pakeha, and lastly immigrants, in descending order of rights and importance?
World examples of where countries which have several different tiers of citizenship and associated rights, subsequently falling into civil war over race and religion, make it imperative that free discussion be allowed as a safety-valve, so that the situation will not become a time-bomb, and ‘‘blow’’.
D P
Te Awamutu
Bay of Plenty Times 14/12/16
NEW PM TREADING SAME PATH
So our new prime minister is treading the same path that John Key trod towards exclusive, ethnic privilege and racial disharmony with his support for holding a Memorial Day to commemorate the, so called, “Land Wars”.
Mr English has also found it pragmatically and politically propitious to reverse his moral stand on same sex marriage.
“O what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise to deceive.” Walter Scott, 1808. (Abridged)
B J
Omokoroa
Daily Post Rotorura 14/12/16
MEMBERS DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED
John Pakes’ letter (December 12) attempts to use the recent addition of Lakes and Rural community board representatives to each of two committees of council to legitimatise the “back door” access already provided to two unelected nominees from Te Tatau o Te Arawa to each of the same committees.
He suspects racism was behind the resistance and concludes that recent silence means acceptance. Nonsense.
The democratically elected Lakes and Rural community boards’ members were mandated by the community to help govern our people. They govern with the people’s consent. Te Tatau o Te Arawa is the authentic political arm of Te Arawa and was elected by their diaspora to advance their tribal interests.
The rest of us have not given our consent for them to be given automatic and permanent governance power.
Indeed, in October, 41,397 votes went to RDRR-endorsed candidates who promised the restoration of democracy.
They nearly won power, in my view confirming how deeply divided Rotorua is over the Te Arawa Partnership Plan.
Mr Pakes must accept that many resent the disproportionate influence that Te Tatau has on council and their attempts to normalise race-based governance as “the Rotorua Way”.
We will seek the restoration of democracy in everyone’s interests. But only after a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
REYNOLD MACPHERSON
Rotorua
VOTING RIGHTS
In response to John Pakes’ letter (December 12) where he implies that there was no hue and cry over the Rural and Lakes community boards’ members having voting rights on council committees, he must have forgotten that these members were democratically elected to their positions through the election process.
That is what differs from the means by which the Te Arawa members get to have voting rights.
Those people were simply appointed by a board. They did not gain their power through an open democratic election process.
P H
Rotorua
INCARCERATION STAT
Incarceration Nation (December 12) featured Auckland University sociologist Dr Tracey McIntosh claiming that from the time of European settlement "... there was a desire to incarcerate significant numbers of our people", "our people" being Maori.
This is simply not true. According to the Official New Zealand Yearbook of 1900, of the admissions to prison in 1898, Maori numbered only 134 of 1724 -or 7.8 per cent. That year more women than Maori were admitted to prison.
The significant growth in the Maori prison population share - 51 per cent at September 2016 - came with urbanisation and welfarism.
LINDSAY MITCHELL
Eastbourne
Waikato Times 14/12/16
TIERED CITIZENSHIP
I have written to papers many times decrying the fact that their seems to be three levels of citizenship in New Zealand/Aotearoa.
Is it racist, not PC, or simply forbidden by convention, to mention that the highest level of citizenship is for those with Maori heritage, then Pakeha, and lastly immigrants, in descending order of rights and importance?
World examples of where countries which have several different tiers of citizenship and associated rights, subsequently falling into civil war over race and religion, make it imperative that free discussion be allowed as a safety-valve, so that the situation will not become a time-bomb, and ‘‘blow’’.
D P
Te Awamutu
Bay of Plenty Times 14/12/16
NEW PM TREADING SAME PATH
So our new prime minister is treading the same path that John Key trod towards exclusive, ethnic privilege and racial disharmony with his support for holding a Memorial Day to commemorate the, so called, “Land Wars”.
Mr English has also found it pragmatically and politically propitious to reverse his moral stand on same sex marriage.
“O what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise to deceive.” Walter Scott, 1808. (Abridged)
B J
Omokoroa
Daily Post Rotorura 14/12/16
MEMBERS DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED
John Pakes’ letter (December 12) attempts to use the recent addition of Lakes and Rural community board representatives to each of two committees of council to legitimatise the “back door” access already provided to two unelected nominees from Te Tatau o Te Arawa to each of the same committees.
He suspects racism was behind the resistance and concludes that recent silence means acceptance. Nonsense.
The democratically elected Lakes and Rural community boards’ members were mandated by the community to help govern our people. They govern with the people’s consent. Te Tatau o Te Arawa is the authentic political arm of Te Arawa and was elected by their diaspora to advance their tribal interests.
The rest of us have not given our consent for them to be given automatic and permanent governance power.
Indeed, in October, 41,397 votes went to RDRR-endorsed candidates who promised the restoration of democracy.
They nearly won power, in my view confirming how deeply divided Rotorua is over the Te Arawa Partnership Plan.
Mr Pakes must accept that many resent the disproportionate influence that Te Tatau has on council and their attempts to normalise race-based governance as “the Rotorua Way”.
We will seek the restoration of democracy in everyone’s interests. But only after a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
REYNOLD MACPHERSON
Rotorua
VOTING RIGHTS
In response to John Pakes’ letter (December 12) where he implies that there was no hue and cry over the Rural and Lakes community boards’ members having voting rights on council committees, he must have forgotten that these members were democratically elected to their positions through the election process.
That is what differs from the means by which the Te Arawa members get to have voting rights.
Those people were simply appointed by a board. They did not gain their power through an open democratic election process.
P H
Rotorua