You have to acknowledge that this is a really cunning plan, it takes a bit of boomer racism but applies it to the corporate agenda. Thank you Melanie, a great exposition.
A long time friend asked me last week what I thought of the "Maoris' taking over NZ and having their own parliament". I was a bit dumb-founded to be honest. She has lived in this country, having moved here to escape persecution from political change in her birth country, but not once has she taken the opportunity to understand the history of this country she now calls home. Unfortunately, she shares much in common with many other people who immigrated here because they thought it was a nice little piece of [white] colonial England.
I compare that to some other much closer friends who have been actively seeking to learn the real history of Aotearoa, our customs and our reo. Theirs has been a much richer journey - not one of fear from ignorance - but filled with new knowledge, respect and new relationships with their manawhenua and tangata tiriti friends.
There is real evil at foot behind these proposed changes - one which calls us to raise our heads above the populist cry - one which challenges us to move beyond our privileged racist rampart. Because beyond that is a place where NZers can indeed share a journey of healing, and understanding - one towards ultimately a new constitution that celebrates our uniqueness and not perpetuates the colonisation which has forged division though the fabric of Aotearoa.
OMG.. thank you Melanie, and thank you Nick. We all need to read this and reread it until we understand it well enough to share and discuss it with our friends and communities. Word MUST spread and Melanie’s letter must be shared over and over until “All New Zealanders” understand the murky and hugely problematic nature of what this bill proposes. The intention of the snakes who are it’s architects is laid bare here and the stench of the Atlas Group is all over it.
I think the 'read and reread' that you mention is important. Yes thank you Melanie we all need to understand both the intention and the possible outcomes of these mooted changes. The changes come from deep in our identity and would change everything. They would also give free reign to those who seek 'easy' access to 'use' resources.
Exactly...as I have been stating in comment after comment in Nick's Korero: the smirking David Seymour is the most dangerous member of this Coalition, because he is the most ideologically driven Neo-libertarian Neo-fascist social psychopath of the lot.
Thank you for sharing this Nick and thank you Melanie for articulating the Atlas Networks plan for Aotearoa and its disdain for Te Tiriti. That Luxton would agree to his 8% partner proceeding with this Bill says all we need to know about his leadership and his vision for the country. Can only repeat my belief that a treaty should be honoured not broken down into a set of principles with no regard for the voice of Māoridom.
I don't trust Luxon on this. And the intent by ACt is clear. Great work Melanie. Dangerous stuff. I cannot stand how much power ACT has and NZ 1st in driving legislation for their agendas. Who voted for this crap. Not I.
Neither did most of the mad Ant-vax'ers...but even worse are the Labourites that did not bother to vote because they were anti-feminist reactionary old farts. But it is the UNCLE TOM bribe-taking blowhards of NZ First Peters and Jones that at present disgust me the most.
woah. thank you for sharing this Nick. Thank you Melanie for articulating the wider implications of the bill. I had been thinking of it as an attack on Maori. it is that and it is more than that. It is wiping out any power for collectives. It will push Maori more towards fighting for separation from such extremely individualistc institutions of power. Tino Rangatiratanga for all hapu. imagine the troubles to come over that fight. It is hard to focus on the impact on other collectives when this has been going on for 200 years for Maori. It is personal. I think of my great grandmother who married someone just off a boat, neither could speak english, but he carried all of the coloniser mentality that Maori were savages, unclean, etc. She was treated as a slave and not allowed to associate with maori or speak maori. One of her daughters remembers being snuck out to go to a tangi and when they got back they were stripped and scrubbed down with a scrubbing brush because they had been out with the dirty Maori. It is personal. This is what the coalition are doing now, scrubbing maori out of all legislation, scrubbing us out of existence as a people who were a soveriegn nation who signed an international treaty to retain their chieftainship. The treaty that was not honoured by the crown. Are they for real?
Yes, I'm afraid they are. And they are the advance contingent of the Atlas(USA) takeover of this country that was started by the criminal inside trader John Key.
Thank you, Melanie and Nick. The Treaty Principles Bill is indeed tricky, not Treaty, and part of the Government's cunning plan, which includes the Fast Track Bill and all the laws they’ve dismantled in the past six months, to return our country to the kind of place they feel at home in (19th Century New Zealand), not the Aotearoa Tangata Whenua and so many Tangata Tiriti aspire for it to be.
These devilish ploys are precisely why I joined Thursday’s hikoi and intend to do everything within my power to end this mess next election, preferably sooner.
No not 19th century NZ, Anna, its the 21st century New Hawaii/protectorate-colony of America they are trying to set up, I reckon...a lot of very rich billionaire Yanks are trying to make this country their go-to escape place in WW3...just look at what has happened to Waiheke Island in recent years.
Language is a powerful tool and can be weaponised against us. Be clear in the fact that “the treaty” is the people’s constitution. Don’t be befuddled by the words used by this greedy government to rob us all blind. The tax cuts have done but to remove the squeezed middle and reduce us to the “haves” and the “have nots”. They are creating division and anarchy to create confusion as they set their own path. Beware the Trojan horse
I can think of at least one terrible plan that would NOT require local consultation under a regime such as this where the land's owner can do whatever they want - the development of mega dairy farms where thousands of cows are kept in barns and on concrete pads. ... This is not Aotearoa
Your report Nick, shows the major, radical and blatant attempt to install a dictatorship of privilege dominating all people in NZ, under White domination! It is not the country I grew up in 1950, It was wrong then and this is so much worse now! WHITE PRIVILEGE in blaring big letters, for anyone that thinks that is a racist term, then think again, it is a statement of fact! Since 1840 it has been our White systems that have resulted in Maori being adversely represented in all statistical records, our system of government, our culture, our laws imposed on Maori. All that makes it our problem now, today. If we do not understand that and take every action we can to apply some improvement, it can only get worse, for Maori and for us. WE MUST RESIST EVERY ATTEMPT FORCE THESE CHANGE ON US!
I am worried. Both by the intent, and the delivery. This will be a fight between knowledge and weasel words. Based on the results of the last election, I'm pretty sure it won't be knowledge that gets the most coverage. Thanks for a fabulous column. Need to commit it to memory and we need to share it as widely as we can. We certainly won't be helped by those with deep pockets.
Lynette true words indeed, I've shared it on my and my sister's FB page, she has many wonderful whanau by marriage and this way they'll be able to access this chilling post where otherwise they may miss it.
Jesus wept! what a sobering read - thank you Nick for posting it - thank you Melanie for shining a searing light onto the implications of this appalling proposed bill by Seymour. On a gut level I'd always thought Seymour was the most dangerous man presently in politics and Luxon a weak and greedy individual but I had no idea just HOW dangerous that little man is and how utterly craven, immoral and spineless is Luxon - what a combination! .... to think that these two and their cohorts are prepared to sell out our country and people for mere money beggars belief. Luxon lies, I don't believe for one second his repeated statements about only supporting Seymour's dirty Bill to it's first reading :/
That is what horrifies me more Nick! .... suddenly we are living in a dystopian nation that used to be our beautiful country, the feeling of dread I had last October is growing sharper with each passing month
Our last election was the result of deliberate manipulation to modify behavior with psychology techniques. IT WORKED!a The offer of less tax, and the claim we had overspent was a simple pitch, no details, and enough of us fell for the propaganda spin. People did that in 1932, they still do that today, in the USA, and they are still doing that in many countries. The simple ME over YOU, Entitled over Enlightened, our Westminster system. It is a very simple equation - less tax = less services! Boy we are sure getting that full effect coming our way this year!
This is an excellent and very sobering piece. I have shared it with political friends. Their plan is just so clever and so so difficult to respond to in soundbites or casual conversation. Thank you so much, Melanie.
Cleaning up that obviously problematic entrenchment thing would be good before messing with constitutional change. How can something be passed with a simple majority that needs a super-majority to undo it? Makes no sense to me. There will be a referendum IMO. It will be evil, the campaign dirty, and divisive.
Yes as per another commenter it seems entrenchment can only happen with 75% of the vote. Labour tried to add an entrenchment clause to 3-waters about privatisation, which did not pass for example.
You have to acknowledge that this is a really cunning plan, it takes a bit of boomer racism but applies it to the corporate agenda. Thank you Melanie, a great exposition.
A long time friend asked me last week what I thought of the "Maoris' taking over NZ and having their own parliament". I was a bit dumb-founded to be honest. She has lived in this country, having moved here to escape persecution from political change in her birth country, but not once has she taken the opportunity to understand the history of this country she now calls home. Unfortunately, she shares much in common with many other people who immigrated here because they thought it was a nice little piece of [white] colonial England.
I compare that to some other much closer friends who have been actively seeking to learn the real history of Aotearoa, our customs and our reo. Theirs has been a much richer journey - not one of fear from ignorance - but filled with new knowledge, respect and new relationships with their manawhenua and tangata tiriti friends.
There is real evil at foot behind these proposed changes - one which calls us to raise our heads above the populist cry - one which challenges us to move beyond our privileged racist rampart. Because beyond that is a place where NZers can indeed share a journey of healing, and understanding - one towards ultimately a new constitution that celebrates our uniqueness and not perpetuates the colonisation which has forged division though the fabric of Aotearoa.
Hear hear! Ignorance and complacency are very dangerous to our country's future wellbeing. ... signed: Pākeha 4 te Tiriti
OMG.. thank you Melanie, and thank you Nick. We all need to read this and reread it until we understand it well enough to share and discuss it with our friends and communities. Word MUST spread and Melanie’s letter must be shared over and over until “All New Zealanders” understand the murky and hugely problematic nature of what this bill proposes. The intention of the snakes who are it’s architects is laid bare here and the stench of the Atlas Group is all over it.
Reasons To Be Fearful - part 1
I think the 'read and reread' that you mention is important. Yes thank you Melanie we all need to understand both the intention and the possible outcomes of these mooted changes. The changes come from deep in our identity and would change everything. They would also give free reign to those who seek 'easy' access to 'use' resources.
Exactly...as I have been stating in comment after comment in Nick's Korero: the smirking David Seymour is the most dangerous member of this Coalition, because he is the most ideologically driven Neo-libertarian Neo-fascist social psychopath of the lot.
" the stench of the Atlas Group is all over it." Exactly. Perfectly put.
Thank you for sharing this Nick and thank you Melanie for articulating the Atlas Networks plan for Aotearoa and its disdain for Te Tiriti. That Luxton would agree to his 8% partner proceeding with this Bill says all we need to know about his leadership and his vision for the country. Can only repeat my belief that a treaty should be honoured not broken down into a set of principles with no regard for the voice of Māoridom.
I don't trust Luxon on this. And the intent by ACt is clear. Great work Melanie. Dangerous stuff. I cannot stand how much power ACT has and NZ 1st in driving legislation for their agendas. Who voted for this crap. Not I.
Neither did most of the mad Ant-vax'ers...but even worse are the Labourites that did not bother to vote because they were anti-feminist reactionary old farts. But it is the UNCLE TOM bribe-taking blowhards of NZ First Peters and Jones that at present disgust me the most.
woah. thank you for sharing this Nick. Thank you Melanie for articulating the wider implications of the bill. I had been thinking of it as an attack on Maori. it is that and it is more than that. It is wiping out any power for collectives. It will push Maori more towards fighting for separation from such extremely individualistc institutions of power. Tino Rangatiratanga for all hapu. imagine the troubles to come over that fight. It is hard to focus on the impact on other collectives when this has been going on for 200 years for Maori. It is personal. I think of my great grandmother who married someone just off a boat, neither could speak english, but he carried all of the coloniser mentality that Maori were savages, unclean, etc. She was treated as a slave and not allowed to associate with maori or speak maori. One of her daughters remembers being snuck out to go to a tangi and when they got back they were stripped and scrubbed down with a scrubbing brush because they had been out with the dirty Maori. It is personal. This is what the coalition are doing now, scrubbing maori out of all legislation, scrubbing us out of existence as a people who were a soveriegn nation who signed an international treaty to retain their chieftainship. The treaty that was not honoured by the crown. Are they for real?
Yes, I'm afraid they are. And they are the advance contingent of the Atlas(USA) takeover of this country that was started by the criminal inside trader John Key.
Thank you, Melanie and Nick. The Treaty Principles Bill is indeed tricky, not Treaty, and part of the Government's cunning plan, which includes the Fast Track Bill and all the laws they’ve dismantled in the past six months, to return our country to the kind of place they feel at home in (19th Century New Zealand), not the Aotearoa Tangata Whenua and so many Tangata Tiriti aspire for it to be.
These devilish ploys are precisely why I joined Thursday’s hikoi and intend to do everything within my power to end this mess next election, preferably sooner.
No not 19th century NZ, Anna, its the 21st century New Hawaii/protectorate-colony of America they are trying to set up, I reckon...a lot of very rich billionaire Yanks are trying to make this country their go-to escape place in WW3...just look at what has happened to Waiheke Island in recent years.
I did not know that Kim. Shudder to imagine life here under that kind of regime.
Language is a powerful tool and can be weaponised against us. Be clear in the fact that “the treaty” is the people’s constitution. Don’t be befuddled by the words used by this greedy government to rob us all blind. The tax cuts have done but to remove the squeezed middle and reduce us to the “haves” and the “have nots”. They are creating division and anarchy to create confusion as they set their own path. Beware the Trojan horse
I can think of at least one terrible plan that would NOT require local consultation under a regime such as this where the land's owner can do whatever they want - the development of mega dairy farms where thousands of cows are kept in barns and on concrete pads. ... This is not Aotearoa
Yep, spot on.
Your report Nick, shows the major, radical and blatant attempt to install a dictatorship of privilege dominating all people in NZ, under White domination! It is not the country I grew up in 1950, It was wrong then and this is so much worse now! WHITE PRIVILEGE in blaring big letters, for anyone that thinks that is a racist term, then think again, it is a statement of fact! Since 1840 it has been our White systems that have resulted in Maori being adversely represented in all statistical records, our system of government, our culture, our laws imposed on Maori. All that makes it our problem now, today. If we do not understand that and take every action we can to apply some improvement, it can only get worse, for Maori and for us. WE MUST RESIST EVERY ATTEMPT FORCE THESE CHANGE ON US!
I am worried. Both by the intent, and the delivery. This will be a fight between knowledge and weasel words. Based on the results of the last election, I'm pretty sure it won't be knowledge that gets the most coverage. Thanks for a fabulous column. Need to commit it to memory and we need to share it as widely as we can. We certainly won't be helped by those with deep pockets.
Lynette true words indeed, I've shared it on my and my sister's FB page, she has many wonderful whanau by marriage and this way they'll be able to access this chilling post where otherwise they may miss it.
Yeh I'm going to share it with as many people as I can. Thankyou Melanie and Nick.
Jesus wept! what a sobering read - thank you Nick for posting it - thank you Melanie for shining a searing light onto the implications of this appalling proposed bill by Seymour. On a gut level I'd always thought Seymour was the most dangerous man presently in politics and Luxon a weak and greedy individual but I had no idea just HOW dangerous that little man is and how utterly craven, immoral and spineless is Luxon - what a combination! .... to think that these two and their cohorts are prepared to sell out our country and people for mere money beggars belief. Luxon lies, I don't believe for one second his repeated statements about only supporting Seymour's dirty Bill to it's first reading :/
That's about to be Acting PM Seymour. 😟
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350298269/bosses-are-out-whos-charge-luxon-and-peters-away
That is what horrifies me more Nick! .... suddenly we are living in a dystopian nation that used to be our beautiful country, the feeling of dread I had last October is growing sharper with each passing month
:(
Exactly, utterly horrifying, and the PM doesn’t appear to have the skill or will to contain him.
He does not want to. Luxon spent time in Atlas think tanks as well, I've heard...
Thanks for the info. Interesting timing, eh....
Our last election was the result of deliberate manipulation to modify behavior with psychology techniques. IT WORKED!a The offer of less tax, and the claim we had overspent was a simple pitch, no details, and enough of us fell for the propaganda spin. People did that in 1932, they still do that today, in the USA, and they are still doing that in many countries. The simple ME over YOU, Entitled over Enlightened, our Westminster system. It is a very simple equation - less tax = less services! Boy we are sure getting that full effect coming our way this year!
This is an excellent and very sobering piece. I have shared it with political friends. Their plan is just so clever and so so difficult to respond to in soundbites or casual conversation. Thank you so much, Melanie.
Thanks again Nick, heaps to consider there for us , particularly the ‘leaders’ of the ‘far-right’ government.
Cleaning up that obviously problematic entrenchment thing would be good before messing with constitutional change. How can something be passed with a simple majority that needs a super-majority to undo it? Makes no sense to me. There will be a referendum IMO. It will be evil, the campaign dirty, and divisive.
Yes as per another commenter it seems entrenchment can only happen with 75% of the vote. Labour tried to add an entrenchment clause to 3-waters about privatisation, which did not pass for example.
That might be reassuring somewhat?