Post by Kiwi Frontline on Feb 11, 2021 10:13:44 GMT 12
DON BRASHS’ NOTES FOR ADDRESSING TAURANGA MEETING ON 29 JANUARY 2021
I’m here today because I believe passionately that all New Zealanders have the same constitutional rights – whether they are descended from people who came to New Zealand many centuries ago or whether they became naturalized New Zealanders yesterday, whether they have Maori ancestry, Pacific Island ancestry, Chinese ancestry, Indian ancestry, or European ancestry.
Equal constitutional rights is the only basis for a harmonious society.
New Zealand is unusual in that while of course we do have a constitution, it is not a single written document, as the US constitution is. The Treaty of Waitangi is not a constitution, and has never been adopted as such. But it is completely consistent with the principle that all New Zealanders have equal rights at law. Article III of the Treaty made it quite explicit that all New Zealanders would have the rights and privileges of British subjects.
I’m not aware of any other country where European colonists settled in what they called the New World and extended to the indigenous inhabitants the same rights and privileges enjoyed by the colonists.
Did our European ancestors always deal honorably with our Maori ancestors? No, sadly, not always, but as Apirana Ngata said nearly a century ago it is probably true that nowhere else in the world were the original inhabitants treated as well as they were in New Zealand.
But I’m not here to argue about the history – there will be many different views about that.
*****
Instead I want to talk about just two things – first, why racially-based representation is a seriously bad idea; and second, why talk about “partnership” between Maori and the Crown is total nonsense.
First, racially-based representation, or Maori wards......
Read on here > www.kiwifrontline.nz/don-brashs-speech-notes-on-maori-wards
I’m here today because I believe passionately that all New Zealanders have the same constitutional rights – whether they are descended from people who came to New Zealand many centuries ago or whether they became naturalized New Zealanders yesterday, whether they have Maori ancestry, Pacific Island ancestry, Chinese ancestry, Indian ancestry, or European ancestry.
Equal constitutional rights is the only basis for a harmonious society.
New Zealand is unusual in that while of course we do have a constitution, it is not a single written document, as the US constitution is. The Treaty of Waitangi is not a constitution, and has never been adopted as such. But it is completely consistent with the principle that all New Zealanders have equal rights at law. Article III of the Treaty made it quite explicit that all New Zealanders would have the rights and privileges of British subjects.
I’m not aware of any other country where European colonists settled in what they called the New World and extended to the indigenous inhabitants the same rights and privileges enjoyed by the colonists.
Did our European ancestors always deal honorably with our Maori ancestors? No, sadly, not always, but as Apirana Ngata said nearly a century ago it is probably true that nowhere else in the world were the original inhabitants treated as well as they were in New Zealand.
But I’m not here to argue about the history – there will be many different views about that.
*****
Instead I want to talk about just two things – first, why racially-based representation is a seriously bad idea; and second, why talk about “partnership” between Maori and the Crown is total nonsense.
First, racially-based representation, or Maori wards......
Read on here > www.kiwifrontline.nz/don-brashs-speech-notes-on-maori-wards