The Blindness Epidemic

 

I wonder how many of my New Plymouth neighbours have been struck as I have by a stark irony in the news this week?

The media has been full of Prince Harry's visit, and the avalanche of powhiri, hongi, hangi, korero, te reo, waka, haka and korowai which has formed the window-dressing for our welcome and entertainment of this most recent royal guest. In the same week the citizens of New Plymouth have overwhelmingly defeated a proposal to set up a Maori Ward for Council elections.

We trot out oodles of Maori culture for royalty as if it is the most valuable part of our common life, and yet we cannot even acknowledge Maori requests for some say at the Council table to the extent of one seat!

Do we really understand what the Treaty, signed at Waitangi in our name, had to say? It promised Maori (in Clause Two) COMPLETE rangatiratanga over taonga. This referendum denies them even less than 10% rangatiratanga.

The same Treaty, in Clause Three, promised Maori equal rights with other citizens. But the law that governs Council elections allows binding referenda to overturn decisions on Maori wards, but no such barrier on non-Maori wards. Not only is this law contrary to international human rights agreements, as argued by Mayor Judd, but it is also contrary to the Treaty.

Yet we continue to pay lip-service to Maori values whenever an important visitor arrives, or a national celebration is needed! How much longer will we go on being blind to this denial of fairness and justice?

I believe we need a constitutional Council of State, to check all legislation, and regulations made by any arm of government, against the Treaty, and to send back to the House of Representatives for correction anything which does not conform to the principles and words of the Treaty.

Surely 150 years after the ending of armed conflict in Taranaki we can bury the hatchet and treat former enemies as if we really are the heirs of 2000 years of Christian and enlightened civilisation!