That well-known line is, as most will recall, from Mission Impossible. I fear that if something is not done soon to control the behaviour of the Maori Party then mission impossible will be the result.
The Maori Party are lost and drowning in their own negative and increasingly violent rhetoric. We can only hope they are never again in a position where a Government depends on their support; if that happens, I fear for the future of this country. It’s not too far fetched to say the country is on the cusp of a potential disaster if their current antics, especially in regard to decorum in the House, are allowed to continue. I call on Mr Speaker to intervene.
The party is, of course, not acting for all Maori, just a vocal racist minority. These are the losers on both fronts, i.e. not just with Pakeha but their own people as well. This is reflected in the small numbers of votes they garner at the election. They speak and act to try to make us think that they represent the majority of their race. They don’t. The truth is, the majority support the likes of Peters, Seymour and Jones.
In my last article I said the Maori seats should go. What I witnessed in Parliament last week was a joker in a cowboy hat, dressed more for the beach than Parliament, accusing Assistant Speaker Maureen Pugh of rudeness to a tribe which had just received settlement of their claims and were invited to perform a waiata. They took it upon themselves to do a speech in Maori prior to the waiata. Maureen, quite correctly, advised them they only had permission to perform the waiata.
Rawiri Waititi took exception and accused her of trampling on their tikanga. The issue was eventually resolved by Gerry Brownlee who, speaking with some anger in his voice, upheld Maureen’s ruling and told the Maori Party firmly that this would not change. He then took the chair as Maureen was understandably upset. It is beyond time the Speaker laid down the law regarding what is acceptable in Parliament in both speech and dress.
The same clown in a different cowboy hat, black to reflect his views on the Budget, announced he was going to establish a Maori Parliament. He didn’t mention who would fund it but I’m sure he has the taxpayers in mind. His party didn’t bother turning up to the House to hear the Budget. The post Budget speech he gave was a mixture of nonsense; then he told us we had nothing to fear and invited us to join them.
Who would accept an invitation from a party so keen to talk about genocide? I am equally keen to talk about cannibalism; a practice tribes engaged in, not only against each other but also the white man. This is not only not talked about but erased from the school history curriculum, presumably so as not to offend. The Maori Party appear to have licence to say and do whatever they like, whereas we can barely open our mouths for fear of offending. Again, they are trying to assert their fantasy of superiority.
The interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi has been skewed to suit them and the Government can barely legislate anything for fear of being in breach of it. This is doing nothing to improve economic and social outcomes for everyone, including Maori. The Maori Party have shown conclusively that is not what they are in Parliament for. They want to rule by way of divide and conquer, but their aims will never be fulfilled. They are wasting their time.
The people will not stand for it. The division they are actually causing is a chasm between the current right and left in Parliament. New Zealand First MPs are now in their permanent home: they only have to observe the antics of the Greens and the Maori Party to see the choice they once had is gone. This has left Labour in a hopeless position, to which I think they have yet to wake up. Swing voters, the ones who decide elections, will not vote for Labour if it means risking participation from the other two radical entities.
The Maori Party MPs, under MMP, are playing right into the Government’s hands. If this behaviour from the Maori Party continues, any future policy statements from Labour will be inconsequential. It will be the position of the Maori Party and, to a lesser extent the Greens, that will determine which way votes are cast.
The Maori Party is ruining it for all: the left, themselves and their people but, more importantly, the country and its return to prosperity. They want more and more money while at the same time vilifying the hand that feeds them. That is not a clever strategy, but they can’t see it while consumed by their violent rhetoric and insulting behaviour.
If ever there were a time to get rid of the Maori seats, it is now. There needs to be a petition to Parliament to demand a referendum. We have a Westminster system of government and I suggest that if they don’t like it then Mr Waititi can start and fully fund his own Parliament. But he won’t.
The Maori Party, like the Waitangi Tribunal, is getting out of hand and I call on the Government and the Speaker in particular, to deal with it before it is completely out of control. The priority of the Government is to get the country out of the mess it inherited and it cannot afford to be sidetracked. I repeat: we are heading for a crisis that threatens the cohesion of Parliament and the stability of the country.
Mr Waititi’s Budget speech contained some disturbing undertones that cannot be ignored. I urge the Government to take cognisance of the situation and take measures to prevent a calamity in our own backyard. The Maori Party need to be told where they sit, not just in Parliament but in the country as a whole. They are no more important or in need of privilege than anyone else. It just needs someone with the power and the guts to deliver the message.
Mister Speaker! ‘Your mission should you accept it’ is to sort these people out, and sooner rather than later.
