The BFD | Judith Throws the Cat among the Pigeons

You know something’s up when the media obsess over the government’s obsession with the word ‘Aotearoa’. Judith and her (once invisible) MP, Kaikoura’s Stuart Smith caused a stir by cleverly questioning the use of the word ‘Aotearoa’ in government documents and the media and demanding a referendum.

On cue, the AM Show ran a poll on 4 August to gauge public feeling on the name (thanks Duncan). It turns out of almost 20,000 participants 79% preferred New Zealand over Aotearoa or Aotearoa New Zealand. Although unscientific, it is enlightening.

Thousands of us who are patriotic and love our country and our name ‘New Zealand’ were wondering why the fixation by the government on ‘Aotearoa’, but were too scared to ask because of predictable media reactions like the following:

(former right-wing) Commentator Ben Thomas opines: “Collins lurches off-road in search for culture wars vote”. (Shouldn’t it be in search of?) And shouldn’t Thomas be questioning why ‘New Zealand’ is disappearing from our public documents and media without public consultation?

Newsroom’s Mark Daalder who wrote an extensive article on the subject says Smith’s crusade on the use of Aotearoa is ‘bizarre’, calling it a war on a “phantom enemy”, and saying the government has no plans to formally change the name of the country.

Evidence shows to the contrary. The new radical history curriculum (parents beware) uses ‘Aotearoa’ throughout and does not use our country’s name ‘New Zealand’ once. I would call that ‘bizarre’, Mr Daalder, wouldn’t you?

Furthermore, there is nothing ‘phantom’ about the millions spent on the public service drive (read Jacinda’s) to insert ‘Aotearoa’ and eradicate ‘New Zealand’ from the media and public documents; not to forget the government-funded TVNZ’s obsession with the word ‘Aotearoa’, which has reached fever pitch. How bizarre!

Word is it will soon be declared blasphemy to utter the word ‘New Zealand’ on air or anywhere in the building.

I wouldn’t be surprised if skin and hair were flying at the highest level over discussions to call our Olympic team the Aotearoans from Aotearoa. Thankfully, common sense has prevailed. It has been lovely to hear and see the words ‘New Zealand’ and ‘New Zealanders’ in the Olympic coverage from Tokyo.

In their continuity coverage here for the Games ‘Aotearoa New Zealand’ was used. That must have been tough to have to include our country’s official name on our official government-funded TV network!

Mark Richardson confirmed my observations are not paranoia when he referred to the government’s “propaganda service” needing to rein it in a bit over the use of the word Aotearoa. And Duncan Garner is not in favour of changing the name.

Willie Jackson (who is fixated on the adjective ‘stupid’ but can’t always use it properly) says, “I think Stuart Smith is desperate and stupid, and part of the more stupider National Party MPs at the moment who will do anything and everything to get their miserable vote up.”

Media darling David Seymour, whose nose was out of joint because he didn’t think of it first, says Smith “should focus on bigger issues”. This writer thinks David should (sometimes) put his outsized ego to one side and join with National when it is clear they are onto a winner.

This has been the elephant in the room and just a small part of our radical government’s crusade to implement their massive race-based social justice programme, He Puapua. Many have suggested by firing everything at us at once we will be confused and anxious and not realise the implications until it is too late. That’s their plan and so far it is working just fine.

Inch by inch, step by step….