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Pee Kay
No Minister
“It’s that kind of Aotearoa – generous, confident and united – that I want my children to grow up in.”
Does that comment resonate with you? Is that a statement that would influence the way you voted?
Other than the Aotearoa nonsense, yes it probably could influence the way I voted.
But then again, I was not only influenced by but I believed I was voting for and would be delivered a significant change when, leading up to the 2023 election, future prime minister, Chris Luxon stated – “… A country that emphasizes what unites us, instead of what divides us. A country that says absolutely, explicitly, that there is one standard of democracy, equal voting rights and no co-governance of public services. That’s the New Zealand I want to live in.”
We found out that was just electioneering BS, didn’t we!
Well, “It’s that kind of Aotearoa…” are the words and viewpoints of the man who has, according to latest polls, a good chance of becoming our next prime minister, Chris Hipkins!
In his opinion piece in last Tuesday’s Herald, Hipkins delivered notice to Māori voters in a decidedly pro-treaty and pro-Māori-rights style prior to this year’s Waitangi day circus! He made it very clear to Māori voters, Labour will keep the gravy train running!
Waitangi Day, the day of the year where tribal leaders get to criticise, condemn, slap and slam the prime minister and other coalition government ministers for their abysmal efforts in ensuring the levels of Māori favouritism, influence and control over the country’s governance continues, that Māori culture must be to the fore and for their abetting of the structural and systemic discrimination against Māori!
Yet they all still turn up! They all take their ‘punishment’. Childish theatrics?
Luxon even had private meeting with the National Iwi Chairs Forum before Waitangi day.
What do you think about the Treaty: Do you think it has served its purpose and it now only serves as a handbrake on the country?
Does the Treaty have far too much influence in our lives and our governance today?
Is the Treaty now just a club for activist Māori to beat the rest of New Zealand with as they march towards Māori Sovereignty?
“Te Tiriti o Waitangi is not a relic of the past. It is a living document that challenges each generation to renew its commitment to fairness, partnership and mutual respect. Honouring the Treaty is not about division; it is about unity built on truth. It is about recognising that acknowledging Māori rights and aspirations, strengthens our democracy and enriches our shared identity,” blathered Hipkins.
Do you think the Treaty is about “recognising that acknowledging Māori rights and aspirations”?
Are Māori rights different to anyone else’s rights? If they are, why are they?
Do you believe Māori ceded sovereignty when signing the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840?
Is the counter argument of activist and elite Māori that ‘Māori never ceded sovereignty’ not just another construct to ensure the flow of wealth, influence and favouritism continues?
Have a read of Hipkins’ “Shared Values of Aotearoa.” https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/chris-hipkins-how-shared-values-can-unite-aotearoa-and-not-divide/
Hipkins argues that New Zealand’s identity is shaped by:
- Manaakitanga: looking after each other,
- Kotahitanga: unity and working together,
- Kaitiakitanga: caring for the land.
He says these values help define community, fairness, and collective responsibility – and that they are particularly evident during times of hardship.
Sorry Chris, those are just further ‘electioneering words’ written, spoken and aimed at a certain section of voters.
Many commentators and, indeed, the more astute voters generally view opinion pieces such as Hipkins, as delivering a deliberate message designed to shape or influence voter attitudes leading up to an election and most definitely are not an impartial view of the political landscape.
Hipkins’s framing of shared values and unity should be and can only be interpreted as Labour trying to moderate or re-brand its stance on the Treaty issues for electoral gain!
In essence, Hipkins’ piece argues that New Zealand’s shared values, and especially those focussed on and rooted in Māori, are a unifying force.
- Honouring the Treaty of Waitangi is not divisive but foundational to fairness and partnership.
- Choosing unity, understanding, and collective responsibility is vital for Aotearoa’s future, especially in an election year.
It has been noticeable that Hipkins, who has previously said the recent internal turmoil suggests the Māori Party is currently unfit to govern, has publicly distanced himself from them and was seen at Waitangi on Tuesday, walking with Marama Davidson, almost hand in hand as the ‘loved up’ political pairing!
Hipkins has not and will not definitively rule out forming a government with Te Pāti Māori, but he ‘created’ distance from them while at the same time kept a door open by stating they are “a long way away” from being ready for government and have “no place” in a cabinet with their current approach.
‘No place in cabinet’. There’s the wriggle room explicated!
Still allows Hipkins to have the Māori Party join him in a coalition.
What’s the odds Hipkins would move quicker than a rat up a drainpipe if he needed to secure the government benches by including the Māori Party in a coalition!
All of the above just means we must be very, very, careful who we vote for later this year!
This article was originally published by No Minister.
