Bryan Bruce on David Seymour & the treaty

[Lilith7]

The maori don't appear to be very happy about this treaty principals bill for whatever reason, but not exactly sure why, they should be happy about it because it ensures equal rights for everyone.

The following quote from the latest Hobsons pledge newsletter says it all:


"At this point, it can be credibly argued that there is a deliberate effort to spread false information about what the Government, the ACT Party, and David Seymour are proposing with the Bill.

No one is suggesting a referendum on the EXISTENCE of the Treaty of Waitangi, for example. Recent media stories have often seemed to suggest otherwise.

What the ACT Party is arguing for is of foundational importance to New Zealand’s future. It is important New Zealanders understand it.

In recent years, more and more people have been led to believe that the Treaty of Waitangi created a partnership between two distinct groups of New Zealanders, with those who chance to have one or more Maori ancestors having an inherently superior constitutional status.

According to this view, those with some Maori ancestry have a superior right to be consulted about a whole range of policy issues, including those regarding land use, natural resources, and political representation.

David Seymour totally rejects this interpretation of the Treaty and argues that having a society where some citizens have rights which are inherently superior to those of other citizens is inconsistent with any reasonable definition of democracy. He argues that we have no future as a democracy if rights are dependent on who our ancestors were.

Moreover, he argues that the words of the Treaty actually support what he proposes that the Treaty Principles Bill will provide – that the government has the right to rule, that we all have rights to our own property, and that all citizens have equal rights."

I wouldn't be inclined to place any trust whatsoever in the Hobson's pledge group; they're deliberately divisive & deceitful .

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/4969...ance-group

"A website aimed at immigrants, heavy on te reo and pushing a message of unity is accused of being deceitful and divisive.
The 'We Belong Aotearoa' website and Facebook account was set up earlier this year.
With bright colours and a modern design, its stated purpose is "whiria te tāngata" - weave the people together.

Photographs of smiling people of various ethnicities are featured and the website says it stands for togetherness, unity, inclusiveness, and equality. It asks people to 'join us' by signing up with a name and email address.
It cites a Māori proverb: "Kia Mau Ki Te Tokanga Nui a Noho - there's no place like home."
Between $6000 and $20,964 has been spent on advertisements on Facebook promoting the website.

An unexpected owner
In August, a note in dark type on a dark background was added to the website. The website was created by the lobby group Hobson's Pledge, which is opposed to mandated Māori representation in central and local government. Don Brash, the former Act and National Party leader, was named.

The website and social media presence are run by the Campaign Company, which lists Jordan Williams (co-founder of the Taxpayers' Union) as a director. The Campaign Company is also listed as the "admin contact" of other domain names associated with Hobson's Pledge including isthisracist.nz, bottomline.nz and equalhealth.nz. The hobsonspledge.nz domain name also has the Taxpayers' Union listed as its "admin contact".

Hobson's Pledge and Brash have been outspoken critics of the use of te reo Māori in New Zealand. One of the group's campaigns is called: "NZ New Zealand, Not Aotearoa NZ." It specifically "demands" that the official name of the country is affirmed as New Zealand, not Aotearoa New Zealand.

Why would it put its money behind a campaign called 'We Belong Aotearoa'?


"Brash told RNZ the site exists to oppose co-governance, which is a legal concept of shared management for things like environmental resources.
"You very rarely get any serious discussion about co-governance, which is why half the country thinks it's a good thing. It's an appalling thing. Treating New Zealanders differently based on their race is an appalling situation and we need to push back on that strongly."

When asked why there was no mention of co-governance on the website he said: "No, there's not but that's the implied message, isn't it?"
He did not know when messages about co-governance might be added to the site, or shared with people who had signed up to a mailing list for a "unified NZ" but said that would be decided at future Hobson's Pledge strategy sessions."