In 1901 the Duke of York, later to become King George V, and his wife Mary embarked on a 45,000 mile Royal Tour to the far flung outposts of the British Empire including New Zealand. On his return, having been created Prince of Wales, he spoke to a gathering of city notables at the Guildhall in London. Of this country he had this to say:
New Zealand afforded us a striking example of a vigorous, independent and prosperous people, living in the full enjoyment of free and liberal institutions, and where many interesting social experiments are being put to the test of experience. Here we had the satisfaction of meeting large gatherings of the Maori people – once a brave and resolute foe, now peaceful and devoted subjects of the King.
That was 122 years ago. Could the same be said today? Not from a certain section of the Maori population. In many ways the wheel has gone full circle. The Maori elite have decided the time has come to have their cake and eat it too. I have been back to the Treaty Articles and refreshed my memory on the subject of land confiscation and also commentary at the time of the signing.
Land confiscations represent injustices of the past. Many years have been spent rightfully addressing these. At the time of signing the Treaty, many Chiefs supported the idea of an agreement with the Crown as they felt it would provide a form of protection. Others who signed said, “Now we are ONE people.”
Could that sentiment be echoed today? I believe the majority of Maori see us as one people. However, the silk-stockinged, wealthy activists don’t. These are the ones who want the cake, preferably iced; for the good of their people, they say, but in truth for themselves. To be fair, some have used money from their settlements to assist their people. Ngai Tahu are to be congratulated in this respect.
However, what about the Waipareira Trust? Commentary lately has been questioning how some of its money has been used. Writing of the Waipareira Trust brings to mind the CEO John Tamihere. He appears to have a foot in both camps, seemingly looking after his people on the one hand and creaming it, sometimes questionably, on the other.
An article by Thomas Cranmer, referenced by David Farrar on Kiwiblog on May 29, offers a lot to digest. Two points made by David are worth noting. First, the taxpayer-funded charity has to try to claim back $385,000 it spent on Tamihere’s campaigns and, second, the average salary for senior management has rocketed from $144,000 to $288,000. Doubled. How can that be justified?
Thomas Cranmer points out there is a tight-knit group linked to a number of Maori entities including the wife of Tamihere’s ‘partner-in-crime’, Willie Jackson. If Cranmer’s article correctly states the funding taken from taxpayers for the Waipareira Trust – under the present government, many millions – there is a question to be asked: why aren’t Maori better off?
According to Tamihere, Maori own the water. He bases his claim on the Treaty as it gives Maori protection of their fisheries. I can only presume that because fish live in water he concludes they own that too. He questions why Maori, in relation to Three Waters, have been invited to sit at a table to discuss something they already own: drinking water, storm and wastewater. I was unaware, in regard to the latter two, that water was identified as such in 1840. Tamihere says things have gone a full 180 degrees. What next? The Tamihere Water Care Trust? Pay when turning on the tap?
It seems to me that the Maori elite have worked out a very cunning way of hoodwinking those of us providing their monetary livelihoods. The work they are doing for their own, while not denying it is happening, could be described as window dressing, while those in the upper echelons of the organisations are doing quite nicely thank you. That’s if the Waipareira Trust is any yardstick.
What is increasingly apparent is: for all the money directed to Maori well-being, there is not a lot to show for it. The Maori Health Authority will turn out to be the latest example. Money is thrown around and wasted due to a lack of accountability. The Maori caucus says jump and the government asks how high. This has to stop and will only do so with a change of government.
I reiterate and in doing so agree with Danny’s recent article: the only realistic change of government is a National/ACT coalition. I am aware that might irk some, but it’s difficult to apologise for stating a fact.
