Post by Kiwi Frontline on Dec 14, 2017 6:38:21 GMT 12
Bay of Plenty Times 14/12/17
WARDS FOR ALL COMERS
Peter Day (Opinion, December 7) claims the Treaty of Waitangi says it is only fair that Western Bay of Plenty District Council has Maori wards, but the treaty says no such thing. It is completely silent on political representation, and simply states that all New Zealanders have equal rights.
Mr Day also notes that the “Maori community has no council representatives”.
Those under 40 have no council representative either and women, who are 51 per cent of the population, only have one councillor of 12. But guess what, everyone is free to stand for election.
In Parliament, there are 29 Maori MPs out of a total of 120 MPs, several in serious leadership roles. Only seven were elected in the separatist Maori electorates, proving beyond doubt that Maori are perfectly capable of being elected if they want to be, without the need for separatist arrangements.
MARGARET MURRAY-BENGE, Bethlehem
STATUS QUO
In 2014 Tauranga City Council voted against the creation of a Maori ward in the 2016 elections. Speaking to Te Ao Maori on RNZ in November 2014, Mayor Stuart Crosby defended the move, saying “my personal view is that in due course there should and will be direct Maori representation around our council table. A number of treaty settlements are taking place alongside existing co-management and governance arrangements that ensure Maori have a voice in the creation of council policy”.
This has indeed happened. Tauranga’s council has a consulting process with 16 iwi/ hapu. The RMA provides for compulsory consultation. The Tauranga Moana Collective and Kaumatua Forum operate within the council. The council has a duty to represent the whole community without bias or prejudice.
Maori voters choosing not to vote in a Maori candidate means they are satisfied with the status quo and do not require a Maori ward. The electoral system is there for a reason.
Residents in other cities have voted against Maori wards or compulsory Maori seats and some of these voters have undoubtedly been Maori who do not want to be forced into voting for a Maori candidate – that is not a democracy.
RE STEPHENS, Mount Maunganui
Waikato Times 14/12/17
VIEW CHALLENGED
I cannot allow Russell O Armitage's letter, Waikato Times, December 9, go unchallenged Mr Armitage was very emotionally critical of Bill Gallagher and his supporters, using words like "gross ignorance, incorrect opinions, wilfully informed and rants".
The last sentence of his letter suggests he believes that we live in a democracy and I would like to agree with him however my dictionary gives the meaning of democracy as (1) A system of government by the whole population and (2) A classless and tolerant society.
Since the advent of MMP, New Zealand surely qualifies as a democracy under the first meaning of the word but as a country we fail miserably under the second meaning.
The blatant pursuit of an even greater share of the wealth of this country by our wealthiest (privileged) citizens, think John Key, property speculators and CEOs has well and truly put a lie to New Zealand being a classless society and as for being a tolerant society, Russell Armitage's display of intolerance puts paid to that also.
Russell take note. Two people can read the same story and come away with different messages (opinions) from that story. Both opinions (beliefs) are valid to that person.
GREG BATLEY Hamilton
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers
WARDS FOR ALL COMERS
Peter Day (Opinion, December 7) claims the Treaty of Waitangi says it is only fair that Western Bay of Plenty District Council has Maori wards, but the treaty says no such thing. It is completely silent on political representation, and simply states that all New Zealanders have equal rights.
Mr Day also notes that the “Maori community has no council representatives”.
Those under 40 have no council representative either and women, who are 51 per cent of the population, only have one councillor of 12. But guess what, everyone is free to stand for election.
In Parliament, there are 29 Maori MPs out of a total of 120 MPs, several in serious leadership roles. Only seven were elected in the separatist Maori electorates, proving beyond doubt that Maori are perfectly capable of being elected if they want to be, without the need for separatist arrangements.
MARGARET MURRAY-BENGE, Bethlehem
STATUS QUO
In 2014 Tauranga City Council voted against the creation of a Maori ward in the 2016 elections. Speaking to Te Ao Maori on RNZ in November 2014, Mayor Stuart Crosby defended the move, saying “my personal view is that in due course there should and will be direct Maori representation around our council table. A number of treaty settlements are taking place alongside existing co-management and governance arrangements that ensure Maori have a voice in the creation of council policy”.
This has indeed happened. Tauranga’s council has a consulting process with 16 iwi/ hapu. The RMA provides for compulsory consultation. The Tauranga Moana Collective and Kaumatua Forum operate within the council. The council has a duty to represent the whole community without bias or prejudice.
Maori voters choosing not to vote in a Maori candidate means they are satisfied with the status quo and do not require a Maori ward. The electoral system is there for a reason.
Residents in other cities have voted against Maori wards or compulsory Maori seats and some of these voters have undoubtedly been Maori who do not want to be forced into voting for a Maori candidate – that is not a democracy.
RE STEPHENS, Mount Maunganui
Waikato Times 14/12/17
VIEW CHALLENGED
I cannot allow Russell O Armitage's letter, Waikato Times, December 9, go unchallenged Mr Armitage was very emotionally critical of Bill Gallagher and his supporters, using words like "gross ignorance, incorrect opinions, wilfully informed and rants".
The last sentence of his letter suggests he believes that we live in a democracy and I would like to agree with him however my dictionary gives the meaning of democracy as (1) A system of government by the whole population and (2) A classless and tolerant society.
Since the advent of MMP, New Zealand surely qualifies as a democracy under the first meaning of the word but as a country we fail miserably under the second meaning.
The blatant pursuit of an even greater share of the wealth of this country by our wealthiest (privileged) citizens, think John Key, property speculators and CEOs has well and truly put a lie to New Zealand being a classless society and as for being a tolerant society, Russell Armitage's display of intolerance puts paid to that also.
Russell take note. Two people can read the same story and come away with different messages (opinions) from that story. Both opinions (beliefs) are valid to that person.
GREG BATLEY Hamilton
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers