Post by Kiwi Frontline on May 29, 2020 18:21:10 GMT 12
RACIAL DIVISION IN NEW ZEALAND IS 'PERMANENTLY BUILT IN' – Karl du Fresne
Truth is, the situation described by Richards has largely been turned on its head. We have moved down a path to a form of institutionalised separatism so well-entrenched that people barely notice it.
We have separate Maori streams in public policy formation, an unelected and inscrutable iwi leaders’ forum that exerts influence at the highest levels of government, Māori control over lakes and rivers, Māori media that confuse journalism with advocacy, special courts for Māori youth and “cultural reports” for Māori defendants, preferential quotas for Māori medical trainees and elaborate mechanisms for iwi engagement on major public projects, regardless of whether they specifically impact on Māori. I could go on.
Then there’s the matter of the Māori seats in Parliament, which survive even though 20 of the 27 Māori MPs currently in Parliament were elected from the general rolls. Oh, and the country has acquired a quasi-official Māori name without any public mandate. (If we want to become Aotearoa, fine - but let’s do it properly, through a referendum.)
In almost every area of public policy, Māori are treated as having separate, exclusive needs. We have been persuaded that this is necessary to remedy 180 years of disadvantage. But at what point do we realise we’ve over-corrected and created a society where racial division is permanently built in and officially sanctioned?.......
www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/121641531/racial-division-in-new-zealand-is-permanently-built-in
Truth is, the situation described by Richards has largely been turned on its head. We have moved down a path to a form of institutionalised separatism so well-entrenched that people barely notice it.
We have separate Maori streams in public policy formation, an unelected and inscrutable iwi leaders’ forum that exerts influence at the highest levels of government, Māori control over lakes and rivers, Māori media that confuse journalism with advocacy, special courts for Māori youth and “cultural reports” for Māori defendants, preferential quotas for Māori medical trainees and elaborate mechanisms for iwi engagement on major public projects, regardless of whether they specifically impact on Māori. I could go on.
Then there’s the matter of the Māori seats in Parliament, which survive even though 20 of the 27 Māori MPs currently in Parliament were elected from the general rolls. Oh, and the country has acquired a quasi-official Māori name without any public mandate. (If we want to become Aotearoa, fine - but let’s do it properly, through a referendum.)
In almost every area of public policy, Māori are treated as having separate, exclusive needs. We have been persuaded that this is necessary to remedy 180 years of disadvantage. But at what point do we realise we’ve over-corrected and created a society where racial division is permanently built in and officially sanctioned?.......
www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/121641531/racial-division-in-new-zealand-is-permanently-built-in