Post by Kiwi Frontline on Jan 12, 2017 5:44:41 GMT 12
The New Zealand Herald 12/1/17
MARAE’S INVITATION
The Prime Minister was invited to speak on the lower marae — after the powhiri. Here is the key extract from the letter he received: “. . . a Maori representative would speak on Mr English’s behalf during the powhiri. At the end of the powhiri, there would be a forum for the Prime Minister to speak freely about politics, if he so wished.”
It is bad enough that Bill English is playing post-truth politics with divisive consequences. What really concerns me is the ease with the lazy media (not the few who published the letter online) is willing to buy the “Billshut”. Basic fact-checking was once the core skill of professional journalists.
MICHAEL SMYTHE,
Northcote Point
ENGLISH RIGHT
I am profoundly disappointed by the criticism of Bill English’s absence from the Waitangi celebrations. He has decided to do what is far more important for New Zealand’s future by participating in meaningful discussions in Europe and the UK.
Let us put what most people consider simply a public holiday in perspective and concentrate on what is far more important for all of us. The media highlighting Bill’s absence merely indicates they have nothing more important to complain about so clearly he is doing a lot right.
ROD LYONS,
Muriwai.
TAKE THE CELEBRATION AROUND
It is my understanding that after the Treaty was signed at Waitangi in 1840, it was taken around the country so that over 500 Maori leaders could add their mark to the document. Why can’t this practice be resurrected and the Prime Minister, and/or other members of Parliament, travel to a different marae every year throughout New Zealand to celebrate this special occasion? Why do a bunch of Waitangi rabble-rousers have the monopoly?
CHRISTINE PULMAN,
Te Atatu Peninsula.
NEW ZEALAND RACIST?
As to the question, is New Zealand racist, most correspondence has referred to Maori, Islanders and Asians. Having paid out a not inconsiderable sum to move my family to New Zealand some 50 years ago, I was met by the assumption that all immigrants from the UK were “ten-pound whinging Poms” and T-shirts emblazoned with “punch a Pom a day”.
There was general antagonism to Dutch immigrants — they worked too hard, got all the good jobs. But was this all racist or simply a manifestation of our neolithic background where one family group, one villager was protective and wary of any other unit?
Yes we should by now have grown up, but the sad reality is we have not. New Zealand is certainly not alone and is better than many others in this regard. Yes report and comment on it, but do not blow it all out of proportion.
JOHN SIMONS,
Orewa.
ANTIDOTES NEEDED
J. Houlahan writes of systemic racism using Maori rates of imprisonment as an example. Someone once said, “We are all at least a little racist”, and this seems true since we all extrapolate from limited experience.
So if our society is systemically racist, it is sad but what matters is how we deal with it.
Positive discrimination usually doesn’t work; for example having a quota for black medical students in some American universities led to the belief that any graduate black doctors was inferior.
However it is important that three critical professions are seen to be non-racist and non-sexist: police, education and legal. This means increasing starting salaries to a point that there are so many applicants they can be chosen by diversity without reducing entry standards.
So let’s have more male primary teachers, more Asian police and more Maori judges. It will take time.
BOB ATKINSON,
Birkdale.
The New Zealand Herald 12/1/17 (Short & Sweet section)
ON TREATY
Beyond all the sound and fury generated by those strutting and fretting on the Te Tii Marae stage, the real question is, what new parts of our democracy will the PM forsake in the February 3 discussions with neo-tribal leaders?
CHRIS LEE,
Matua.
Hawkes Bay Today 12/1/17 (Text Us section)
* PP: You are right, not all Maori are even intrested in speaking Maori and why is it so important, when Maori and pakeha are living in NZ as one anyway? Just get on and enjoy life!
* I admire Bill English for not attending Waitangi. Past leaders have been disrespected, so why would he put himself in that position?
* Since the Treaty of Waitangi is between Maori and the Queen, it should be the governor-general who attends the commemorations and not the prime minister.
Bay of Plenty Times 12/1/17
ENGLISH’S DECISION A GOOD CALL
The decision of Bill English to avoid the hassles of Waitangi Day is the best direction for our country (News, January 10).
Hopefully without his presence there will be less media, who of course focus on the shenanigans of the few who protest every year without fail. has suddenly and obligingly rediscovered her Maori heritage.
The lack of media will starve those protesters of oxygen and perhaps the news could then focus on what may, for all I know, be quite a pleasant day out for many on the treaty grounds.
It may even then become a national day for all of us instead of at present — Maori Protest Day.
ROBIN BISHOP
Tauranga
TREATY REVIEW
Now THAT the Northern chiefs, the first signatories of the treaty, have insulted the Government and therefore the people of New Zealand by preventing the Prime Minister speaking on the marae (News, January 10), it is time to review the treaty, for the document to be authenticated and the obligations and commitments verified.
I am sure that in pre-colonial times tikanga would not have prevented dignitaries of other iwi, apart from women, speaking on the marae.
But perhaps it is a case of “biter bit” for National, as many of their consultations with Maori on matters concerning all New Zealanders have been carried out in private with notifications only made when decisions are virtually confirmed and the general public having no say.
BRYAN JOHNSON
Omokoroa
Wanganui Chronicle 12/1/17
WAITANGI DAY
Well done, Prime Minister, for not attending this year’s Waitangi “celebrations”.
I am amazed at the hypocrisy of iwi crying disrespect at this decision. What respect or decency has been shown by them in recent years to dignitaries visiting Waitangi?
It’s time to make changes to our national day celebrations — rename it New Zealand Day and hold the celebrations in the grounds of Government House in Wellington.
Those attending can be assured of the respect and civility they deserve.
ROBERT ALLEN
Durie Hill
The Dominion Post 11/1/17
PM RIGHT ON WAITANGI
Congratulations to Prime Minister Bill English for standing up to the tiny handful of Maori who have refused him speaking rights on the marae.
At last New Zealanders can claim back their day, where people of all nations and colours can get together to celebrate our lives, and the harmony we can generate.
Instead of the obscenities, both verbal and physical, we could do no better than to follow the example of Porirua City, and have a glorious carnival day celebrating every citizen’s traditions, costumes, food and dance. This day shows that we can retain the core of our heritage while living a full life alongside all other New Zealanders. DELYS SAUNDERS Upper Hutt organised and run by some kind of Maori/Pakeha body with a truly national mandate. [abridged]
GRAHAM WEIR
Lower Hutt
REFRESH NATIONAL DAY
Good on the prime minister for deciding not to go to Waitangi. Sadly it has not been for many years a celebration of a truly national day.
It has simply become a forum for the local iwi to vocalise their local grievances. That is undoubtedly important for them but is of only passing interest to those in other parts of the country.
We really need something much more inclusive – perhaps the only way to make the day a national occasion may be to have it organised and run by some Maori/Pakeha body with a truly national mandate. [abridged]
GRAHAM WEIR
Lower Hutt
MARAE’S INVITATION
The Prime Minister was invited to speak on the lower marae — after the powhiri. Here is the key extract from the letter he received: “. . . a Maori representative would speak on Mr English’s behalf during the powhiri. At the end of the powhiri, there would be a forum for the Prime Minister to speak freely about politics, if he so wished.”
It is bad enough that Bill English is playing post-truth politics with divisive consequences. What really concerns me is the ease with the lazy media (not the few who published the letter online) is willing to buy the “Billshut”. Basic fact-checking was once the core skill of professional journalists.
MICHAEL SMYTHE,
Northcote Point
ENGLISH RIGHT
I am profoundly disappointed by the criticism of Bill English’s absence from the Waitangi celebrations. He has decided to do what is far more important for New Zealand’s future by participating in meaningful discussions in Europe and the UK.
Let us put what most people consider simply a public holiday in perspective and concentrate on what is far more important for all of us. The media highlighting Bill’s absence merely indicates they have nothing more important to complain about so clearly he is doing a lot right.
ROD LYONS,
Muriwai.
TAKE THE CELEBRATION AROUND
It is my understanding that after the Treaty was signed at Waitangi in 1840, it was taken around the country so that over 500 Maori leaders could add their mark to the document. Why can’t this practice be resurrected and the Prime Minister, and/or other members of Parliament, travel to a different marae every year throughout New Zealand to celebrate this special occasion? Why do a bunch of Waitangi rabble-rousers have the monopoly?
CHRISTINE PULMAN,
Te Atatu Peninsula.
NEW ZEALAND RACIST?
As to the question, is New Zealand racist, most correspondence has referred to Maori, Islanders and Asians. Having paid out a not inconsiderable sum to move my family to New Zealand some 50 years ago, I was met by the assumption that all immigrants from the UK were “ten-pound whinging Poms” and T-shirts emblazoned with “punch a Pom a day”.
There was general antagonism to Dutch immigrants — they worked too hard, got all the good jobs. But was this all racist or simply a manifestation of our neolithic background where one family group, one villager was protective and wary of any other unit?
Yes we should by now have grown up, but the sad reality is we have not. New Zealand is certainly not alone and is better than many others in this regard. Yes report and comment on it, but do not blow it all out of proportion.
JOHN SIMONS,
Orewa.
ANTIDOTES NEEDED
J. Houlahan writes of systemic racism using Maori rates of imprisonment as an example. Someone once said, “We are all at least a little racist”, and this seems true since we all extrapolate from limited experience.
So if our society is systemically racist, it is sad but what matters is how we deal with it.
Positive discrimination usually doesn’t work; for example having a quota for black medical students in some American universities led to the belief that any graduate black doctors was inferior.
However it is important that three critical professions are seen to be non-racist and non-sexist: police, education and legal. This means increasing starting salaries to a point that there are so many applicants they can be chosen by diversity without reducing entry standards.
So let’s have more male primary teachers, more Asian police and more Maori judges. It will take time.
BOB ATKINSON,
Birkdale.
The New Zealand Herald 12/1/17 (Short & Sweet section)
ON TREATY
Beyond all the sound and fury generated by those strutting and fretting on the Te Tii Marae stage, the real question is, what new parts of our democracy will the PM forsake in the February 3 discussions with neo-tribal leaders?
CHRIS LEE,
Matua.
Hawkes Bay Today 12/1/17 (Text Us section)
* PP: You are right, not all Maori are even intrested in speaking Maori and why is it so important, when Maori and pakeha are living in NZ as one anyway? Just get on and enjoy life!
* I admire Bill English for not attending Waitangi. Past leaders have been disrespected, so why would he put himself in that position?
* Since the Treaty of Waitangi is between Maori and the Queen, it should be the governor-general who attends the commemorations and not the prime minister.
Bay of Plenty Times 12/1/17
ENGLISH’S DECISION A GOOD CALL
The decision of Bill English to avoid the hassles of Waitangi Day is the best direction for our country (News, January 10).
Hopefully without his presence there will be less media, who of course focus on the shenanigans of the few who protest every year without fail. has suddenly and obligingly rediscovered her Maori heritage.
The lack of media will starve those protesters of oxygen and perhaps the news could then focus on what may, for all I know, be quite a pleasant day out for many on the treaty grounds.
It may even then become a national day for all of us instead of at present — Maori Protest Day.
ROBIN BISHOP
Tauranga
TREATY REVIEW
Now THAT the Northern chiefs, the first signatories of the treaty, have insulted the Government and therefore the people of New Zealand by preventing the Prime Minister speaking on the marae (News, January 10), it is time to review the treaty, for the document to be authenticated and the obligations and commitments verified.
I am sure that in pre-colonial times tikanga would not have prevented dignitaries of other iwi, apart from women, speaking on the marae.
But perhaps it is a case of “biter bit” for National, as many of their consultations with Maori on matters concerning all New Zealanders have been carried out in private with notifications only made when decisions are virtually confirmed and the general public having no say.
BRYAN JOHNSON
Omokoroa
Wanganui Chronicle 12/1/17
WAITANGI DAY
Well done, Prime Minister, for not attending this year’s Waitangi “celebrations”.
I am amazed at the hypocrisy of iwi crying disrespect at this decision. What respect or decency has been shown by them in recent years to dignitaries visiting Waitangi?
It’s time to make changes to our national day celebrations — rename it New Zealand Day and hold the celebrations in the grounds of Government House in Wellington.
Those attending can be assured of the respect and civility they deserve.
ROBERT ALLEN
Durie Hill
The Dominion Post 11/1/17
PM RIGHT ON WAITANGI
Congratulations to Prime Minister Bill English for standing up to the tiny handful of Maori who have refused him speaking rights on the marae.
At last New Zealanders can claim back their day, where people of all nations and colours can get together to celebrate our lives, and the harmony we can generate.
Instead of the obscenities, both verbal and physical, we could do no better than to follow the example of Porirua City, and have a glorious carnival day celebrating every citizen’s traditions, costumes, food and dance. This day shows that we can retain the core of our heritage while living a full life alongside all other New Zealanders. DELYS SAUNDERS Upper Hutt organised and run by some kind of Maori/Pakeha body with a truly national mandate. [abridged]
GRAHAM WEIR
Lower Hutt
REFRESH NATIONAL DAY
Good on the prime minister for deciding not to go to Waitangi. Sadly it has not been for many years a celebration of a truly national day.
It has simply become a forum for the local iwi to vocalise their local grievances. That is undoubtedly important for them but is of only passing interest to those in other parts of the country.
We really need something much more inclusive – perhaps the only way to make the day a national occasion may be to have it organised and run by some Maori/Pakeha body with a truly national mandate. [abridged]
GRAHAM WEIR
Lower Hutt