Post by Kiwi Frontline on Feb 18, 2021 10:36:21 GMT 12
Northland Age 18/2/21
SHARING SOVEREIGNTY
It is not difficult to argue otherwise to Robin L Shepherd QSO opinion that Maori ‘are entitled to expect a shared form of government’ (letters February 16).
Firstly, the Treaty of Waitangi did not have two ‘sovereign entities’, it had the Crown and a collection of warring chiefs (approx 500) as signatories. Although named a treaty, it has more in common with a simple cessation agreement. David Round (law lecturer Canterbury University) says “treaties can be made only between states, and Maori, not formed into an organised state but living in a much smaller and far less sophisticated societies (and indeed, ones in a constant state of flux, given the intensly war-torn nature of the times) were simply incapable of entering into such an agreement in 1840”.
Secondly, the Treaty was not about ‘sharing’ sovereignty as Robin opines. Article 1 clearly states - "The chiefs of the Confederation of the United Tribes and the other chiefs who have not joined the confederation, cede to the Queen of England for ever the entire sovreignty [sic] of their country." As Minister Sir Joseph Ward said to Rua Kenana “There can be only one sun in the sky”
In response to the twisted logic of removing the local government petition right because Parliament is not subject to a petition right. Parliament does apply different standards when a constitutional change to the voting system is proposed.
When parliament proposed to change to MMP it held a binding referendum. If Parliament was of a mind to reduce the MMP threshold or change the parliamentary term, that too would go to a binding referendum - because it is changing the rules by which the rulers are elected.
And it's not a case of the Rulers changing the rules and saying, "If people don't like it they can vote us out of office". This is in no way acceptable. Introducing Maori only wards will make it harder to vote out a council because the community at large can't vote for the Maori ward councillors.
The majority of people do not want local Maori seats for the same reason they don't want the Maori seats in Parliament: People do not want to be divided by race.
GEOFF PARKER, Kamo
www.kiwifrontline.nz/media/letters-to-the-editor
SHARING SOVEREIGNTY
It is not difficult to argue otherwise to Robin L Shepherd QSO opinion that Maori ‘are entitled to expect a shared form of government’ (letters February 16).
Firstly, the Treaty of Waitangi did not have two ‘sovereign entities’, it had the Crown and a collection of warring chiefs (approx 500) as signatories. Although named a treaty, it has more in common with a simple cessation agreement. David Round (law lecturer Canterbury University) says “treaties can be made only between states, and Maori, not formed into an organised state but living in a much smaller and far less sophisticated societies (and indeed, ones in a constant state of flux, given the intensly war-torn nature of the times) were simply incapable of entering into such an agreement in 1840”.
Secondly, the Treaty was not about ‘sharing’ sovereignty as Robin opines. Article 1 clearly states - "The chiefs of the Confederation of the United Tribes and the other chiefs who have not joined the confederation, cede to the Queen of England for ever the entire sovreignty [sic] of their country." As Minister Sir Joseph Ward said to Rua Kenana “There can be only one sun in the sky”
In response to the twisted logic of removing the local government petition right because Parliament is not subject to a petition right. Parliament does apply different standards when a constitutional change to the voting system is proposed.
When parliament proposed to change to MMP it held a binding referendum. If Parliament was of a mind to reduce the MMP threshold or change the parliamentary term, that too would go to a binding referendum - because it is changing the rules by which the rulers are elected.
And it's not a case of the Rulers changing the rules and saying, "If people don't like it they can vote us out of office". This is in no way acceptable. Introducing Maori only wards will make it harder to vote out a council because the community at large can't vote for the Maori ward councillors.
The majority of people do not want local Maori seats for the same reason they don't want the Maori seats in Parliament: People do not want to be divided by race.
GEOFF PARKER, Kamo
www.kiwifrontline.nz/media/letters-to-the-editor