The apology you won't see in the media
Yesterday afternoon we received an apology from the Justice Select Committee for the incorrect public statements the Chair James Meager made about Hobson's Pledge. James Meager also made an apology on the livestream later in the day.
We appreciate the acknowledgement from the committee and understand that miscommunications happen. Unfortunately, however, despite being eager to report when we were being called political opportunists and liars, the media are unlikely to run stories on the apology.
That's life in New Zealand in 2025 when the media don't agree with you!
Anyway, this was just a quick update so that at least you know that we got an apology.
Hobson's Pledge excluded from presenting to Select Committee
The Justice Select Committee haven't given Hobson's Pledge a slot to speak at the oral submissions for the Treaty Principles Bill.
Yes, you read that right – the largest, most vocal, and organised organisation advocating for ‘one law for all’ – and with more than 140,000 supporters – has not been given a speaking slot, while the likes of John Tamihere and Lady Moxon have been.
We are very grateful therefore to the team at Democracy Action who gave us their speaking slot today. We had anticipated that if not given a formal slot on Monday, then it was a given that we would be given a slot on Thursday. We therefore agreed to swap with Democracy Action. Just this morning though, the Democracy Action team got an email from the Committee Clerks saying no slot has been given to Hobson’s Pledge and so no swap is currently possible.
We view this is as totally outrageous. As I noted above, Hobson’s Pledge is a leading voice in this debate and supported by thousands upon thousands of kiwis. It is incomprehensible how our leading organisation could be ignored by this committee and it does beg serious questions about this whole process.
Again, our thanks to Democracy Action for giving us their slot and we will be advocating that they be given a time to also speak. The committee seems very happy to allow voices in opposition, but it appears less helpful when it comes to those in support of this Bill.
Tune in via the Parliament website or RNZ's livestream from around 2.20pm to hear our presentation and get in touch – be it via email or on our social media – to let us know what you thought. Only ten minutes have been allocated, so it will have to be direct and to the point.
Iwi takeover over by stealth at Whanganui Council
We received almost unanimous support for our idea for a boycott of National membership until Christopher Luxon makes the Treaty Principles Bill a conscience vote. So, it is full steam ahead and we will be rolling out a social media campaign.
But, you may have noticed that we aren't shy of fighting on multiple fronts when necessary. So I will set aside Boycott for the Bill for a moment and direct your attention to a matter that is simmering away largely unnoticed in local government.
Long story short, a stealthy iwi takeover of Whanganui District Council is underway.
Whanganui iwi and the Crown are currently negotiating a Treaty settlement and as part of it they want to embed several co-governance dynamics into the Whanganui District Council.
This would mean that co-governance would be locked into the council via legislation. So much for an end to co-governance!
Additionally, the 'relationship agreement' is set to include a large amount of land transferred to iwi and the establishment of a charitable trust run by iwi and council.
I know you're able to appreciate the significance and finality of these kinds of decisions and how important it is that we fight them before it is too late. Once settlements are finalised in legislation, it is all but impossible to unwind them.National especially likes to put things in Treaty settlements and then hold up their hands and say "can't change it now!"
Our friends over at Democracy Action say:
While Mayor Andrew Tripe and the council appear to be largely supportive of this initiative - what the mayor calls ‘a world-first indigenous-council partnership’ - the council is encouraging its citizens to have a say on the proposals.
Under the plan iwi would participate in decision-making in the joint management of lands, resources, and socio-economic strategies. If approved the proposals would bind future councils, future generations.
This is a matter of utmost importance to the people of Whanganui, but it is also a glaring red flag and warning siren for the rest of the country. If Whanganui iwi succeed in gaining this power, other iwi groups will attempt to obtain their own co-governance powers in similar ways. Council co-governance, coming to a town near you!
What can we do?
Take part in the public consultation. And do it ASAP. Feedback closes on 2 February 2025.
Tell the council in the strongest terms (without getting disqualified due to profanities!) that you oppose local democracy being dismantled via central government legislation. The council has set up a short survey, but you can make comments.
That is the most important thing you can do☝️☝️☝️
The next thing is for Whanganui residents to contact their councillors.
This is an example of what you might like to say:
Dear Mayor/Councillor,
It has come to my attention that a proposed Treaty settlement with local iwi is set to embed co-governance into Whanganui District Council via legislation. As a local resident, I oppose this completely. Local democracy must be protected. I have provided feedback via the council website, but I wanted to make it clear to those who have been elected to represent us that I oppose co-governance in any form.
I seek your assurance that you are committed to local democracy and intend to protect equal representation and rights at Whanganui District Council. What will you do to ensure no Treaty settlement compromises democratic process?
I will not in good conscience be able to cast a vote at the upcoming local elections for any council candidate who supports co-governance being embedded in Whanganui District Council.
Regards,
[Your name]
Here are the email addresses:
For those not in Whanganui, you can focus your attention on contacting the relevant ministers:
Dear Prime Minister/Minister,
It has come to my attention that a proposed Treaty settlement with Whanganui iwi is set to embed co-governance in Whanganui District Council via legislation.
I have been advised that should this go ahead iwi would participate in decision-making in the joint management of lands, resources, and socio-economic strategies. If approved the proposals would bind future councils, future generations.
I oppose this completely. Local democracy must be protected.
All three coalition partners promised an end to co-governance before and after the last general election. It was a key promise and a key issue for many voters.
If this Treaty settlement is passed with stealthy co-governance fish hooks snagging local government, it will be a huge betrayal of those who voted for this Government.
I seek your assurance that you are committed to democracy and intend to protect equal representation and rights throughout New Zealand including Whanganui District Council. What will you do to ensure no Treaty settlement compromises democratic processes?
I will not, in good conscience, be able to cast a vote at the upcoming local elections for any council candidate who supports co-governance being embedded in Whanganui District Council. Likewise, come next general election I will not vote for a party that promised to end co-governance and then went back on their word.
Regards,
[Your name]
Here are the email addresses:
Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith
NEW Local Government Minister Simon Watts
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters
Every single Hobson's Pledge supporter who gives feedback or contacts the people above makes a difference. Trust me, I know how tiresome it can be to send off submissions and emails to ministers and councillors. My best advice is to keep it short and simple.
We appreciate your support as always.
Should National Party members cancel their memberships?
After seeing our Prime Minister caught on camera gleefully promising to "kill" and "spike" the Treaty Principles Bill before a single submission has been read, the Hobson's Pledge team put our thinking caps back on.
Clearly, Christopher Luxon has no respect for his voters. He must have seen the polling on the Bill. Polling that shows 64% of decided National Party voters support passing the Bill.
With such a mammoth response to the public consultation and support from all decided coalition party voters (53% NZ First and 95% ACT), the Government should pass this Bill and send it to a referendum.
That is an important thing to remember. The Bill will not become law simply by the Government passing it. First, it will go to a binding referendum at the next election and will only be enacted if that referendum passes.
So what can National voters do? Hobson's Pledge has written letters, sent emails, and made it pretty clear that Christopher Luxon is upsetting a large portion of his own supporters. But he has dug in.
It's time to step things up and we have an idea, but we wanted to put it to you first and see what you think.
What if National Party members cancel or don't renew their membership unless Christopher Luxon and the Government make the Treaty Principles Bill a conscience vote?
A conscience vote means that instead of each party voting in a bloc, every individual MP casts a vote. Generally, conscience votes are used for Bills regarding controversial or 'moral' issues e.g. alcohol laws and Easter trading.
What do you think? Are you a National Party member? Would you be willing to cancel your membership in order to remind National who their voters are?
If we get enough support for this idea, we will launch a Boycott for the Bill campaign.
Click the button if you back our idea and want to chip in to fund spreading the word*.
Is it fair to charge a $10 white person fee for a music gig?
I have had some good news... apparently because of my race, I get to pay less to attend music events organised by a group called Browntown than my non-Māori/Pasifika friends! 🤯🤯🤯
Chris Lynch reports from Christchurch that tickets for a Sunday Session event featuring King Kapisi and others was initially advertised with different tiers for pricing based on race.
“Early bird (for all Tangata): $15, Tangata Moana (for our Māori and Pacific Tangata): $20 and Tangata Tiriti (for our allies): $30.”
Browntown was founded last year by Devyn Baileh, Grace Colcord, and Shea Wātene (pictured below) and promotes itself as "a platform for cultural engagement aimed at addressing racism".
Browntown founder and director Grace Colcord (pictured left), allegedly of Malie and Afega descent, was defiant in the face of criticism of their racist ticket pricing. She told Chris Lynch that it was "in line with our kaupapa" and "pricing models based on specific groups aren’t unique to this event. Many venues and organisations offer discounted pricing for children, seniors, students..."
Not quite the same thing, mate.
The group has received $35,000 in funding from Creative New Zealand's Pacific Arts Fund. Another case of arts funding going to blatant racism.
What Browntown haven't got is an understanding of the Human Rights Act 1993 and how discrimination works! Or maybe they just don't care?
A Pasifika Community Leader who didn't want to be named - probably because he would be harassed for daring to speak out - said:
“This is a blatant attempt to manufacture victimhood, and Creative New Zealand fell for it. Charging higher prices for white people doesn’t foster unity; it drives a wedge between communities."
I couldn't agree more. We don't need this racist crap in New Zealand. What's next? Separate drinking fountains?
The manager of the bar Muy Muy, where the event is scheduled to be held, was unaware of the discriminatory ticketing and told the organisers to amend the pricing or face cancellation of the event.
“At Muy Muy, we have a great sense of acceptance for all cultures and traditions. We support all communities equally,” Bugz Munasinghe said.
Chris Lynch says that by yesterday afternoon, the wording for the ticket prices had been changed to “early bird, $15.00, Alofa Access Ticket $20.00 and Ally Access Ticket $30.00.”
Not really an improvement.
You and I both know that if the ticket pricing was arranged the other way, and Māori and Pasifika were expected to pay higher prices, there would be an uproar.
I guarantee you, Chris Lynch wouldn't be the only brave journalist reporting on it as is the case here. TVNZ would have a reporter stationed outside the bar calling for it to cancel the event. Stuff would have a journalist tracking the three Browntown organisers and writing full exposes on them and their immediate families. The Spinoff would spontaneously combust.
It sickens me that this kind of thing is happening in New Zealand. It isn't 'progressive'; It is divisive.
Shout out to Chris Lynch for covering this story. If only we had more journalists like him.
Before I sign off, I just saw a video that is doing the rounds on socials of Christopher Luxon telling some people at the airport (I think) not to worry because he is going to kill the Treaty Principles Bill. He's going to "spike it"!
More than 300,000 submissions and our Prime Minister doesn't give a flying you-know-what about considering a single one. He has made up his mind and our opinions don't matter.
No wonder the polls aren't looking too good. Don't forget you can still send him a message on our Scaredy Cat Christopher website telling him to support the Bill or lose your support.
When I was at school we called people like him 'try hards'. Trying to fit in with people who blatantly don't like them.
Someone tell the Prime Minister all the cool kids believe in equality.
🚨📢 Treaty Principles Bill consultation extended!
I hate to break a promise, and I did say that my previous email would be the last reminder about the Treaty Principles Bill consultation, but the breakdown of Parliament's submissions process has resulted in the Justice Committee reopening submissions until 1pm on Tuesday 14 January. I figured you would forgive me for letting you know!
We have quickly put our submission tool back online and we encourage you to use it rather than going through the Parliamentary website. It is likely that the Parliament submission system will again come under immense pressure due to large numbers of people attempting to submit at once. However, to be extra sure of success, we are collecting, printing, and delivering all submissions that come through our submission tool.
Justice Committee Chair James Meager told media that they have received more than 300,000 online submissions so far.
This blows previous records for number of submissions out of the water and doesn't include hard copy submissions.
As we have seen in the extensive coverage the media has given to those opposing the Bill, we are far from the only community organising to support each other to make submissions. Though the integrity of some of these efforts appears dubious.
We have been contacted about allegations of groups opposing the Treaty Principles Bill submitting multiple times using their children's names to make the submissions appear unique. We have also been contacted about influencers advising their international followers that they can submit against the Bill and indeed encouraging it.
This just reinforces that we must use these extra five days of submissions to ensure that every New Zealander who supports the Treaty Principles Bill has their say. We won't play dirty like the other side, but we do need to make every effort to throw our weight behind the Bill and behind the simple idea that we should all have equal rights.
Don't worry if you've never written a submission before. Our tool helps you choose the points you agree with and builds the submission for you. Quick and easy.
The sheer number of submissions clearly demonstrates that a referendum is warranted on the matter. Naysayers who oppose the people of New Zealand voting on the Treaty Principles Bill must explain why more than 300,000 submissions have been received online alone. New Zealanders want to have their say!
I urge you to join us in this last push for submissions. Talk to your friends and family. Send them the link to our submission tool.
Let's ensure that the message of equality and democracy is heard loud and clear by the Justice Select Committee.
LAST DAY to have your say on Treaty Principles
This is the last Treaty Principles Bill submissions reminder I will send you! I promise.
Today is the LAST day to have your say on this important Bill, so head to our easy submission tool NOW. We will be dropping submissions off to Parliament tomorrow!
Don't worry if you've never written a submission before. Our tool helps you choose the points you agree with and builds the submission for you. Quick and easy.
Thank you for understanding the need for all of these reminders. If you've seen our billboards, you'll know we have thrown the kitchen sink at this.
FIVE DAYS LEFT to save New Zealand!
Happy New Year!
With the start of a new year, there are only days left to make a submission on the Treaty Principles Bill, if you haven't already.
If you have submitted, make it your mission to find someone who hasn't and direct them to our quick and easy tool.
Submissions close on the 7th so we are running out of time to ensure the Select Committee has thousands and thousands of pro-Treaty Principles Bill submissions to read.
I realise that many New Zealanders are enjoying our wonderful beaches at this time of year and are not in the mood for writing submissions. BUT, if we don't fight for equal rights those beaches could be closed to the public in the future.
Fortunately, we have built a very easy to use tool that makes having your say a 5 min task.
I promise that I will only send one more reminder about this on the last day for submissions. I appreciate that repetition can be tedious, but this is simply too important not to take every opportunity to get one more submission.
Merry Christmas from Hobson's Pledge 🎄
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Together, we have spent 2024 fighting for the future of this great country and together we will carry that fight on in 2025.
However, the next few days should be spent enjoying the very things we value the most with those we love.
My previous email was long enough so I will keep this one short.
Thank you again for supporting Hobson's Pledge and championing equal rights for every New Zealander.
Happy Christmas and best wishes for summer,
Final wrap up for 2024 🎄
They call it the 'silly season' for a very good reason and, if your December is anything like ours, I am sure you are very busy indeed.
This email is a long one - a Christmas bumper issue - as this year has been our busiest yet and that is saying something after last year's election! We have a lot of matters to update you on as someone who has supported us in our endeavours.
I want to make it very clear that every single action Hobson's Pledge takes is only possible with the financial and moral support of people like you.Please accept my thanks on behalf of everyone at Hobson's Pledge for standing with us and getting behind our campaigns.
Now for some updates!
The Marine and Coastal Area Bill (MACA)
Just when we thought we'd won this hard fought battle, the Supreme Court threw a spanner in the works. The Bill to amend MACA was all set to be passed before the end of this year when the Supreme Court rushed out a ruling that very cleverly gave with one hand and took with the other.
We initially got very excited because our highest court ruled that the Court of Appeal had "erred" in a landmark case and the Attorney General could appeal it. The Supreme Court explained that the error was in how the Court of Appeal interpreted 'without substantial interruption' in regard to land use and occupation. It also addressed the issue of 'exclusively used and occupied'.
Unfortunately, as we dug deeper into the judgement, it was clear that judicial activism was at play however.
The Supreme Court said, “[227] The appeal by the Attorney-General in relation to s 58 of MACA is allowed.” That is not a judgment, decree, order, direction or determination which could be sealed.
As I shall show, it was beyond doubt a pronouncement the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction to make. It has brought New Zealand one step closer to the constitutional crisis Roger Partridge described as “looming” in Who makes the law? Reining in the Supreme Court.
...
Can there be any doubt that the Supreme Court’s unusually speedy delivery of this “judgment” was anything other than an attempt to pre-empt Parliament’s further consideration and enactment of the Amendment Bill?
Once again, the Supreme Court has exposed itself as politically active. In doing so, the Supreme Court is responsible for undermining its own credibility by failing to maintain its proper position within the constitutional order. Doing so has created the looming constitutional crisis.
And the solution that Gary Judd KC suggests::
What should the government do? It should introduce a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) at the Bill’s committee stage to declare the court’s 2 December pronouncement to be a nullity and to require the court to decide the appeals in accordance with the law stated in what will be the Amendment Act.
The saying 'They muddy the water to make it seem deep' seems to apply here. The Supreme Court has sought to halt the Bill's progress and to confuse us all.
Rest assured, we will hit the ground running in the New Year with a plan to impress on the Government the importance of passing the Bill.
The Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill
Submissions remain open until January 7th - a very inconvenient time to hold consultation, but we are doing our best to get as many Hobson's Pledge supporters to have their say as possible.
Click here to use our quick and easy submission tool.
Of course, our Prime Minister has made a lot of the fact that he and his Government will vote the Bill down at Second Reading. So the other part of our campaign is demonstrating to Christopher Luxon that there is a majority of voters who wish to see it passed. That is why we set up our Scaredy Cat Christopher website for supporters to send the Prime Minister an email.
Click here to send the Prime Minister an email.
We recently did some polling on the Treaty Principles Bill which we shared in a previous email so won't double up here. However, the ACT Party also did their own polling, although with different questions.
They asked if respondents would support or oppose Parliament passing the Billand they found that 39% support the passage of the Bill, 36% oppose, and 25% are unsure.
David Seymour says:
"When Kiwis hear what the Treaty Principles Bill does, instead of what the media or Te Pāti Māori says it does, they support it."
So they followed up with more specific questioning that outlined each of the three principles and asked if respondents support or oppose each of these.
1. The Executive Government of New Zealand has full power to govern, and the Parliament of New Zealand has full power to make laws in the best interests of everyone; and in accordance with the rule of law and the maintenance of a free and democratic society.
Support: 45%
Oppose: 24%
2. The Crown recognises, and will respect and protect, the rights that hapū and iwi Māori had under the Treaty of Waitangi/te Tiriti o Waitangi at the time they signed it. However, if those rights differ from the rights of everyone, this applies only if those rights are agreed in the settlement of a historical treaty claim under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975.
Support: 42%
Oppose: 25%
3. Everyone is equal before the law. Everyone is entitled, without discrimination, to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law; and the equal enjoyment of the same fundamental human rights.
Support: 62%
Oppose: 14%
The front page ad saga continues
Just to let you know, Hobson’s Pledge continues to fight a small aspect of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) decision around our running those very popular and successful front page ads in the NZ Herald about all the foreshore potentially going to iwi ownership.
As you may recall, we were cleared on most counts, but the ASA felt our opinion about iwi ownership was wrong. Yes, you read that right – they disagree with our opinion, and not on any matter of fact! We have appealed and we have initial good news as the Chairperson of the ASA appeal board has determined that the appeal meets the grounds for reconsideration. We will likely get a decision sometime next year; we don’t know exactly when but this is a positive step.
Janet Dickson and the Real Estate Authority
This week, our lawyers from Franks Ogilvie represented Hobson's Pledge and Janet at the Governance and Administration Select Committee in Parliament. They sought to have a change included in the Statutes Amendment Bill that would give the REA more discretion around imposing punishments rather than requiring them to ban agents for five years like they did (or tried to do) to Janet because she saw absolutely no reason to take a course on Māori protocol which had nothing to do with selling real estate.
Immediately after the presentation to MPs, we were informed that the Government has tabled a new Bill that addresses the five year punishment for not undertaking such a course.
This is a fantastic win and we acknowledge Janet’s leadership, integrity and perseverance. A big thank you to Hobson's Pledge supporters who chipped in to her legal fund.
It’s not a complete win, as we would have liked the law changed to stop such compulsory courses being introduced, but it’s still a win! For those interested, the Bill is called the Regulatory Systems (Occupational Regulation) Amendment Bill.
We will keep you updated on the progress of this new Bill. We have also promised to keep you updated on Janet's case and receive many messages asking for information each week. Unfortunately, the wheels of our legal system turn very slowly so there is not anything for us to share at this point. We, like you, are waiting for the court to release its decision.
My appearance on Duncan Garner's Podcast
About a week ago Duncan and I had a lengthy discussion about the Treaty Principles Bill. We touched on a number of important points and you can listen to it here. Let me know what you think.
Electoral Commission tells us off about...nothing
I was alarmed to receive a letter from the Electoral Commission last week advising me that they had received several complaints about the advertisements we are running on Facebook and Instagram.
These ads pertain to the Treaty Principles Bill and encourage New Zealanders to either submit on the Bill or send a message to Christopher Luxon. We always follow the rules around tagging the ads as political and social issues, and there was nothing objectionable in the ads themselves.
As I read through the letter, I realised that the Commission hadn't found anything that we had done wrong. They warned us to not do things we weren't doing.
It was a strange letter to receive. It felt like we were being told off, but we weren't. I was left with no question that the Electoral Commission is keeping an eye on Hobson's Pledge and will leap in to tell us off at the first opportunity, even if we are not doing anything wrong.
Nursing Council of New Zealand embarrasses us all
Click here to read the Standards of Competence.
Confused local councils
It seems a number of councils around the country have become confused about their roles in the community. Instead of focusing on roads, rubbish, footpaths and local events, they are instead spending time and your money discussing their position on the Treaty Principles Bill.
The likes of Auckland Council, Wanganui, Wellington, Waikato District Council, and many others have agreed motions opposing the legislation. This will frustrate the majority of New Zealanders who want MPs or a referendum to sort the issue, not their local councils who have no jurisdiction on this matter whatsoever!
It really is a load of 'virtue signalling' nonsense. As Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson rightly said:
"The Treaty is an agreement between the Crown and Māori… we’re not the Crown. Why are we getting involved in something that has nothing to do with us?"
My defamation case
My sincere thanks to all who have donated; it’s a timely and costly proceeding.
As you know, Matthew Hooton's attacks on my character were substantial and this legal action was absolutely necessary, not just for my reputation but also the work of Hobson’s Pledge.
There isn’t much to update you all on other than the case continues on and we are awaiting the defence’s reply to the initial filings.
National Library tries to censor top Treaty historian
Renowned historian Professor Paul Moon has pulled the pin on a lecture on British policy leading up to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
“The library asked me to provide a summary of my talk, and when I did, they were concerned that the word 'whakapapa' was included, with no explanation as to why,” he said.
He “very reluctantly” removed it.
"I then received notice yesterday from the Library that they wished me to take out a quote from the summary of my speech by the historian John Seeley, which famously described the British Empire being 'acquired in a fit absence of mind'."
Moon says according to the libraries director, the reason was "there was some anxiety that this quote 'could be seen as us agreeing with Britain conquering the world'."
This paints a bleak picture of our National Library and calls into question the integrity of the many events they host. Are all of their speakers put through the NatLib censor machine?
A Christmas miracle for our Treaty Principles campaign
After our email explaining that we had our print ads and billboards cancelled, we were contacted by Primedia and LUMO saying they would happily work with us to get some billboards up. We are glad to see there are still some companies that haven't fallen to the censorious regime.
From next week, you'll be able to see our billboards all around the country calling for equal rights. Grab a photo if you can and share it on social media!
We took on board some of the feedback from my last email and came up with some new designs. Here's a sneak peek at one of them:
Phew! I told you it would be long, but it is even longer than I expected it!
Thank you again for the support you have given to Hobson's Pledge this year. I hope you get a bit of a break and some time with family and loved ones - preferably with some good weather thrown in.
Short note: our complete submission
Very quick message from me today.
You have hopefully heard about our Treaty Principles Submission Tool by now. It is a quick and easy way to have your say on this important piece of legislation.
I also want to share with you our complete submission. This is the comprehensive document that we have sent in on behalf of Hobson's Pledge.
Feel free to use it to formulate your own comments in our submission tool or send it to people you think would be interested.
Look out for my longer wrap-up of 2024 later in the week.
See the Hobson's Pledge ad Stuff refuses to print
The debate about the Treaty Principles Bill is one of the most important public conversations of our lifetimes.
Hobson's Pledge has done our best to facilitate debate and put forward the perspective that all New Zealanders should have equal rights.
We planned a campaign with billboards, print ads, and a social media advertising. Alas, we have only been able to book ONE billboard as landlords and companies said that while they support our message they are terrified of the backlash from activists.Vandalism, harassment, and attempts to ruin reputations would be expected.
We want to know who is pulling the strings behind the big media and advertising companies. Who is deciding that a Bill before our Parliament is too contentious for New Zealanders to discuss?
After all the drama with NZME over our front page ad on the Marine and Coastal Areas Amendment Bill, we took our print ads to the Stuff group of newspapers.
We attempted to book the Sunday Star Times, The Post, the Christchurch Press, and The Southland Times. It would have been a tidy sum of money for the financially beleaguered media outlet...
Our ad was very simple. Just words on a page communicating what is at the heart of the debate - equal rights. Vote for the Bill for equal rights. Say no to the Bill, say no to equal rights. Take a look at the offending ad:
We provided an explanation and evidential sources to Stuff to back up our (very straightforward) claim and to speed up the process of approval. We told them:
The purpose of these ads is to advocate for support for the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill and to encourage New Zealanders to make a submission on it. This is a Bill currently before the Justice Select Committee.
It has been commonplace for advocacy groups and charities to engage in public debates about legislation that is being considered by Parliament on contentious topics such as abortion rights, euthanasia, legalisation of cannabis, and same-sex marriage. Placing ads in newspapers has been a staple part of this campaigning.
It is clear that the matter of ‘equal rights’ is central to the debate on the Treaty Principles Bill with both sides addressing their side of the argument repeatedly. Seymour and the ACT Party contend that all New Zealanders should be equal under the law with the same human rights. Te Pāti Māori take the position that Māori do, and should, have special or additional rights.
Therefore it can fairly be concluded that to oppose the Bill is to oppose the concept of equal rights for all New Zealanders.
References:
David Seymour, the minister in charge of the Treaty Principles Bill has frequently stated that its intent is to ensure equal rights for all New Zealanders. For example: HISTORIC: David Seymour lays down the Treaty Principles Bill in Parliament
In the proposed legislation, the Summary of Key Features states:
“Right to equality—everyone is equal before the law and is entitled to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination. Everyone is entitled to the equal enjoyment of the same fundamental human rights without discrimination.”
In interviews, Te Pāti Māori, the main opponents of the Bill who organised the hikoi to Parliament, have stated that Māori have more rights or special rightsunder the Treaty. For example: Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: Why she’s so strongly against Treaty Principles Bill | Q+A 2024
In polling (Curia Market Research December 2024), respondents were asked if they agreed with the statement:
"I want New Zealand to honour the Treaty of Waitangi, but only if it can do so in a way that doesn't undermine fundamental human rights such as equality of suffrage where all votes have roughly equal power.”
62% agreed, 12% disagreed, 11% were neutral, and 15% were unsure.
However, after a legal and editorial review we received this response:
Why is Stuff refusing advertisements on THIS issue? And only from 'lobby groups'?
This also raises the persistent, but never answered, questions about who it is that sits in the shadows behind the Stuff empire.
Remember that Sinead Boucher purchased the company for just $1 despite other (allegedly large) sums being offered. Of course, the symbolic dollar says nothing of the immense amount of existing debt owed to a parent company that someonehad to have taken on.
There have been many rumours about who might be the true "owner" of the company, but the most often repeated one is that a large iwi took on the debt and is the real power behind the scenes. I must emphasise that this is a rumour and not substantiated, but it is certainly intriguing. Such rumours can run only because of secrecy.
To whom is Sinead Boucher beholden? Who is calling the shots at Stuff?
Who has an interest in discussions on the Treaty Principles Bill being shut down? Who wants to control the narrative?
If Stuff's commercial managers are being told to reject advertising money because editors have determined the topic is out of bounds, what confidence can New Zealanders have in Stuff's editorial balance and independence?
In most Western countries, though unfortunately not our own, media ownership laws would prevent the kind of underhanded and beyond-murky ownership set up Stuff has. Transparency expectations are much higher and people are able to access information on who owns media companies and who carries debt.
New Zealanders should not have discussions about the Treaty and its so-called principles squashed, but we also should be able to see who is doing the squashing.
On the matter of our campaign: we will be focusing our energy online as we can use social media advertisements to spread the word. It is really disappointing not to have billboards up and down the country and advertisements in the newspaper as we have done in the past. But we adapt!
Have a great weekend.
Additional polling: are Kiwis worried about division?
Last night, Maiki Sherman and ONE NEWS got very excited about their poll showing that more New Zealanders oppose the Treaty Principles Bill than support it. Never mind that:
1. The largest number are unsure about the Bill.
2. Other polls say the contrary.
3. Our polling shows that there is a large cohort of New Zealanders who oppose the Bill purely because they are worried about the division it is causing.
In our poll conducted between the 1st and 3rd of this month by Curia Market Research, respondents were asked if they agreed or disagreed with the statement:
More people agreed with that statement than disagreed.
It is seriously concerning that in a liberal democracy, such as ours, people are opposing legislation not on its merits but rather because they are worried about social conflict.
This kind of thinking creates the conditions where political decision-making comes down to whichever group is making the most noise and causing the most intimidation. That is no way for a free and equal society to function.
We cannot be held to ransom because radicals scream racism over and over again and meet disagreement with fury.
It is not racism to advocate for equality regardless of race or ancestry, but if determined activists are given enough of a platform in our media, people start to feel that tensions are getting too high and are more likely to believe the whole exercise is not worth it.
We must have the discussion. A fair one would be nice! We need to empower New Zealanders to feel they can have an opinion on the future of their country and that those who tell them their view is not valid are the extremists.
Unfortunately, the whole establishment machine is invested in stifling debate and promoting only opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill. I have mentioned the media's clear bias, but it goes beyond that to elite institutions like academia, the public service, and local government.
Some councils are wasting their ratepayers' time and money holding debates and votes on the Bill even though they have no influence on its outcome. Despite record rate hikes, failing infrastructure, and no shortage of local issues to deal with, they indulge their own egos and spend hours virtue signalling.
I'm looking at you, Auckland and Hutt City councils, and Environment Canterbury. Good on Taranaki Regional Council for being more sensible on the matter. Deputy Chair Neil Walker said:
"I think personally that the regional council is not a political body, and I certainly don't want to be sitting here time and time again, sending the government political messages about various things.
We're essentially an environmental council and a statutory body doing regulation. We are not doing all of these kind of things, lecturing the Parliament on everything."
It may feel like we are asking you to take a lot of action this year and that is because we are. As I have said before, we are in a now or never situation where we may never again have such opportunities to be heard on the future of New Zealand.
So I am, again, urging you to have your say by making a submission on the Treaty Principles Bill. We have created a tool that makes it quick and easy!
Another way you can make a difference is to talk to your friends and family about supporting the Bill in ways that promote unity and equality. We all need to have the courage to not bow to intimidation and to proceed with sometimes challenging conversations. The best way to do this is to relentlessly stick to our values.
Fundamental human rights for all should be the baseline for modern societies. We won't stop fighting for equality.
NEW POLL: what NZ thinks about Treaty principles
Given the overt support the media has demonstrated toward Te Pāti Māori’s Toitū Te Tiriti campaign, New Zealanders could be forgiven for thinking that there is clear consensus that the Treaty Principles Bill must not pass.
Those who support it might reasonably think they are in a minority.
We commissioned some polling and it shows that both assumptions are false.
Our polling was conducted between the 1st and 3rd of December by Curia Market Research and asked a range of questions about the Treaty of Waitangi, the so-called principles, and related issues.
It is safe to say that there is still a lot of confusion and uncertainty around the principles and I can understand why! The discussion is being stifled and stymied at every turn. Only one radical perspective is being promoted by media.
The question of which body, or bodies, should determine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi is one on which New Zealanders have a range of views. But ultimately, when asked who should have the final say, 54% of respondents said either Parliament or a Referendum should make the final decision with just 8% opting for the Judiciary and 19% for the Waitangi Tribunal.
However, our polling showed that a majority of New Zealanders are supportive of honouring the Treaty, but only if it can do so in a way that doesn’t undermine fundamental human rights. In fact, voters from all parties except Te Pāti Māori had strong net agreement to this statement:
Similarly, only 13% of respondents agreed that the Treaty means that 50% of MPs must be Māori and only Te Pāti Māori voters were in net agreement with the statement.
A truly open conversation is needed on the clash between fundamental human rights (such as equal voting rights and political representation) and the way the Treaty and its so-called principles are being interpreted currently, particularly by the courts.
The disproportionate cheerleading Te Pāti Māori receives from the media is not a fair representation of the beliefs of the New Zealand public. The promotion of their activism as righteous and justified is distorting the true picture of an electorate that prioritises unity and human rights.
This polling demonstrates that Te Pāti Māori’s views on the principles of the Treaty and how the country should be politically organised are out of step with the great majority of voters, even including voters who support Labour and the Greens. Te Pāti Māori are radicals and in a minority.
Christopher Luxon has seriously misjudged the mood of voters in his careless dismissal of the opinions of New Zealanders submitting on the Treaty Principles Bill, particularly those who voted for his Government. He has allowed himself to be railroaded by the press gallery and intimidated by the noise made by a group of activists organised by Te Pāti Māori.
New Zealanders are entitled to be informed of the bigger picture rather than lectured to directly from the Wellington beltway and activist academics.
New Zealanders are entitled to expect that any law, policy, or action taken by our Government should not breach fundamental human rights.
These are not big asks. It is not remotely racist to expect equal rights for us all.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT OUR POLLING
Tauranga Council to place unelected iwi reps on 3 committees
If you are in the Tauranga council area, you need to speak up – now!
For others around New Zealand, you just need to take note as this will soon be happening to you.
On Monday morning at 9.30am, the Tauranga City Council is meeting toapprove placing unelected iwi members onto three of their standing committees.
You have read that right - an elected council is wanting to select unelected, unaccountable people, to sit on three of its key committees simply because of their ethnicity – in this case, because they are affiliated to local iwi. They want these people to have full voting rights and to be fully remunerated!
We need you to write urgently to Mayor Drysdale and local councillors to tell them that is entirely wrong and inappropriate.
A modern democracy is about one person, one vote; and about direct accountabilityto the voter.
There is no place in New Zealand for race-based appointments, let alone unelected persons sitting on council committees. What’s the point of electing a council when it then goes ahead and stacks the deck with the unelected!?
The three committees are substantial and include the Audit and Risk Committee; City Futures Committee; and Community and Performance Committee. It’s three today, but how long before more are demanded?
And get this – Tauranga already has a specifically elected Maori Ward, called Te Awanui.
Reading the council agenda, you won’t believe what they say –
“A Māori ward councillor is not expected to speak on behalf of tangata whenua, they speak for themselves when working with elected members.”
Yep, you read that right. According to the council documentation the specifically created Māori ward does not speak for Māori. They now need even more undemocratic representation. We wish we were making this stuff up!
So, if you are in the Tauranga Council area, you need to email the Mayor and councillors now and tell them to stop this nonsense. We have included their emails for you below:
Mayor Mahé Drysdale
Email: [email protected]
Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular (Mauao/Mount Maunganui Ward)
Email: [email protected]
Rick Curach (Arataki Ward)
Email: [email protected]
Kevin (Herb) Schuler (Bethlehem Ward)
Email: [email protected]
Glen Crowther (Matua-Ōtūmoetai Ward)
Email: [email protected]
Steve Morris (Pāpāmoa Ward)
Email: [email protected]
Marten Rozeboom (Tauriko Ward)
Email: [email protected]
Rod Taylor (Te Papa Ward)
Email: [email protected]
Hautapu Baker (Welcome Bay Ward)
Email: [email protected]
*Mikaere Sydney, the councillor for the Te Awanui Ward, is currently on a leave of absence.
Please act today – you have till 9.30am this coming Monday (9 December) to have your voice heard before the Tauranga council hands even more power over to unelected people.
Which uni has thrown support behind Toitū Te Tiriti? 🙄
Yesterday we brought you the excellent news that the Supreme Court has determined that the Court of Appeals "erred" in their ruling on the claims brought under the Marine and Coastal Areas Act.
Today, iwi lawyer, architect of the original MACA Bill, and former Attorney-General Chris Finlayson is quoted in NBR calling for the Government to abandon its amendment Bill in light of the Supreme Court decision.
No. That is not an option. One ruling is not indicative of an end to judicial activism. The Marine and Coastal Areas Amendment Bill is vital to setting parameters so that we don't have to take things up to Supreme Court level every time because lower courts think the law should be interpreted in their political image.
We will be making our position clear on this and reaching out to our contacts to emphasise that Hobson's Pledge expects that Bill to proceed regardless. On the off chance you happen to bump into a minister, make sure you tell them to pass the damn Bill too!
Massey University endorses Te Pāti Māori
It has become fashionable for organisations of any kind to take public stances on political matters that have nothing to do with their purpose or cause.
I also find it quite presumptuous that they think that New Zealanders are hanging out to hear what Papamoa's Knitting Circle or The Greymouth Premier Chess Clubthink about a piece of legislation.
It is even worse when it is publicly funded institutions making grand political declarations. This week, the Free Speech Union posted that they were approached by a staff member from Massey University who shared that official banners for staff members to put in their emails were distributed that emphatically assert support for Toitū Te Tiriti.
As most of us have figured out by now, Toitū Te Tiriti are simply Te Pāti Māori with a slightly different hat on. Winston Peters describes them as an "astroturf group".
Massey's endorsement of Toitū Te Tiriti and Te Pāti Māori destroys any claim of political neutrality the university might wish to make. Among their large number of staff there will inevitably be many different perspectives on this issue and this activism falsely suggests that they are all in agreement.
I don't know about you, but I resent my taxes going to institutions that so explicitly endorse the politics of a party that is observably extremist and often utterly contemptuous of our laws and Parliament.
I think it is fair to assume that the university would not allow a similar banner with "Support the Treaty Principles Bill" on it.
Rāhui are being treated as law by police - didn't we warn about this?
Remember when, not long ago at all, we ran an ad on the front page of the NZ Herald and Māori activists complained en masse that we were promoting "disinformation"?
Well, one of the key things they took issue with was that we claimed that rāhui were one way that iwi could restrict access to beaches. They pointed to the fact that the law is vague on rāhui and that they are usually not enforceable. We argued that a culture of de facto enforcement has taken hold in New Zealand whereby dominant cultural influencers like politicians and media treat rāhui as official and enforceable. As a consequence, the police, rangers, and other people of authority behave as if they are the law even if they are not.
This week we had a stark example of this.
Why are the New Zealand Police issuing a statement about a religious/cultural concept declared by local iwi?
Will the police fine or arrest any person who ignores the rāhui?
The job of the police is to enforce the laws of New Zealand. Not to communicate and enforce the beliefs and practices of a select cultural group.
The Herald is deleting comments it disagrees with
I have previously shared with you one example of the NZ Herald deleting entire comment threads on articles because they weren't reflecting the opinions they wanted them to.
We aren't talking about abusive or threatening comments. We are talking about comments in support of the Treaty Principles Bill, for example.
Since I informed you about this last week, we have observed the practice of deleting in more articles related to the Bill or race relations in New Zealand. The vast majority of these comments are in line with what a Hobson's Pledge supporter might say. They are pro-one law for all and pro-equality.
Yesterday, it was an article on the Supreme Court ruling. One sharp-eyed supporter noted that after around 42 comments, and 40 minutes after commenting was opened, the NZ Herald closed it down and deleted readers’ thoughts.
This is an outrageous display of contempt for their subscribers (they are the only ones who can comment). It is censorious and it highlights what we are up against when it comes to informing New Zealanders about what the Bill is really about.
If you happen to be a Herald subscriber, I encourage you to enquire why they are deleting comments reflecting a particular viewpoint on Treaty articles. Tell them that included in your subscription is the ability to comment on articles and it is completely inappropriate for a moderator to delete them - not because they are violent - but because the Herald staff are as woke as the Wellington public service.
Orwell must have been a time traveller
The 21st Century seems to be a rollercoaster of Orwellian nightmares running on a loop. George Orwell's 1984 is a treasure trove of quotes that are painfully relatable for any of us being battered by the culture wars.
I came across a quote recently and I couldn't help but think of all the Treaty revisionism we have endured over the last few decades. I thought of how the iconic Sir Āpirana Ngata has gone from a man respected by all to having his wise words torn apart by Māori activists. The sudden assertion that Māori did not cede sovereignty is another example. Never mind the extensive records of speeches in 1840 at Waitangi and 1860 at Kohimarama nor the earlier reports of the Waitangi Tribunal - those have been memory-holed.
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”
Actions to take
I'm again going to bang the drum of the Treaty Principles Bill. I appreciate that I am repeating myself, but this is too important not to ensure every last person possible submits on the Bill. If you have already done so, please encourage others to do so too.
Please remember that written submissions for the Treaty Principles Bill are only open until the 7th of January 2025.
Additionally, it is important that we apply pressure on the Prime Minister and National as they have already sworn not to pass the Bill. We created an easy email tool for you to send an email to Christopher Luxon telling him to support the Bill.His timidity around Treaty issues is not good enough and he should know that.
You're likely to hear from me or Elliot again soon as there doesn't seem to be a day go by without important news about the Treaty, New Zealand's future, and race relations.
🚨BREAKING🚨 Supreme Court rules lower court wrong about MACA
BREAKING NEWS:
The Supreme Court of New Zealand has made an incredibly important judgement today – and one in line with Hobson’s Pledge's advocacy and position.
It has essentially stated that the creative interpretation that allows such a broad application of the law - and so opened up most of New Zealand’s coastline to iwi claims - was wrong.
The Supreme Court has been reviewing the Court of Appeal decision around what is colloquially known as "the Edwards case". The Court of Appeal effectively reinterpreted the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 (MACA), which in turn meant that iwi could effectively claim all of New Zealand’s coastline.
Today, the Supreme Court has said that interpretation by the Court of Appeal is wrong. They said the lower court ‘erred’ in its decision making.
We can hardly believe it!
As you know, Hobson’s Pledge has been fighting hard for the right of all New Zealanders to share and enjoy our coastline. We even put out a full front page advertisement in the New Zealand Herald to point out what the earlier court ruling meant. Despite lots of vocal opposition to what we were saying, we feel vindicated by today’s ruling.
We have consistently stated that if the Court of Appeal ruling went ahead, then all the coastline was open to being claimed. Parliament recognised this and has put together a Marine and Coastal Area Amendment Bill to ensure the original interpretation was kept. This Bill is currently going through Parliament and is due to become law in a few weeks. The Supreme Court’s decision today also confirms that the law was not being followed if iwi could claim everything.
You are owed an apology. Hobson's Pledge supporters, like you, stood up for what was right and true and were attacked by Te Pāti Māori, Labour, the Greens, the media, activists, and all sorts of characters on the internet!
As you will recall, a change of law in 2011 was made to remove Helen Clark’s Foreshore and Seabed Act. This 2011 law meant iwi could seek rights over coastal areas if they could prove continuous and exclusive use of the area since 1840. The Minister in charge at the time, Chris Finlayson, suggested only around 10% of the coastline might be claimable. The Court of Appeal however took a very creative approach and "interpreted" the law to mean what it thought it should read, and not what Parliament had explicitly written. This meant most of the coastline could plausibly be claimed!
With today’s judgement by the Supreme Court, this radical and activist interpretation of Treaty related issues has been dealt a blow.
We have supported the Government’s move to update the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 to ensure the original intention is honoured. It is good that the Supreme Court effectively agrees. We are also grateful to all of you as supporters for the hard work preparing submissions to the select committee. Your voice and words have made a difference.
We still have much more work to do though. Hobson’s Pledge advocates for a law change to return our seabed and foreshore to Crown ownership for the benefit of all New Zealanders. While we will continue to push for this change, we still see the current Bill going through Parliament as a major step forward.
Finally, there are still many other battles to fight to ensure the legal equality of all New Zealanders. We win battles when we all take action so please take a few minutes to use our submission tool to have your say on the Treaty Principles Bill.
Please remember that written submissions for the Treaty Principles Bill are only open until the 7th of January 2025.
Reasons to support the Treaty Principle Bill
There are many reasons to support the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill and to have your say in a submission. You can read the key reasons we've identified on our Treaty Principles Submission Tool.
Equal rights, fundamental human rights, rule of law, liberal democracy, clarity of understanding, Parliamentary supremacy, to name a few.
But there are other reasons why David Seymour's Bill is worth speaking up for...
1. The status quo will not remain. Unless this Bill becomes law, things will get very much worse. Te Pāti Māori will continue to push rhetoric that would have been unthinkable not long ago and the media will publish it uncritically. Ideas like Māori not ceding sovereignty are relatively new and the mind boggles as to what new concept they will promote next.
2. It has become mainstream to refer to any New Zealander who doesn't have a Māori ancestor as "manuhiri", which translates to visitor. Calling the place of your birth or citizenship "home" should not be a political act that you have to fight for. Speaking up is a way of demonstrating that you will not be bullied into accepting that you are allowed to live in this country only by the grace of New Zealanders who have at least one Māori ancestor.
3. You are being silenced virtually everywhere else. Let's just look at the New Zealand Herald as an example. They are often touted as the best media outfit of a bad bunch, but a Hobson's Pledge supporter has pointed out how much they have been censoring any comments that are remotely positive toward the Bill.
And (with some help from The Centrist) he provided receipts.
The first screenshot shows that there were 169 comments on the article and the second shows that within a matter of hours the comments had disappeared.However, our eagle-eyed supporter managed to grab screenshots of the comments that the Herald decided to hide.
Look at the number of likes on the comments. It's almost like the Herald doesn't want New Zealanders to realise that large numbers of other New Zealanders also support the Bill and their concerns about separatism.
We haven't spotted anything objectionable in these comments. If there were one or two violent comments, surely they could have removed those and left the largenumber of totally reasonable ones?
This isn’t the first time that the NZ Herald has been caught out deleting comments, especially on Treaty issues. They did it to a story on taxpayer-funded te reo Māori lessons, and then again last month on their article about race-based prosecution guidelines.
This mass censorship of New Zealanders' opinions on a Bill that is before Parliament is why getting your thoughts on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill on the record is so crucial. It is not a symbolic gesture either. Making a submission contributes to building a wave of support that the Prime Minister will have to explain ignoring.
When the media are pushing such a deliberate narrative that anyone who supports the Bill is racist or stupid, we all need the reassurance that we are not alone. There is strength in numbers and through this submission process we can demonstrate that we have the support to look at a Citizens Initiated Referendum.
It is now or never. I'm not sure how many different ways I can emphasise the critical juncture we are at. All we are demanding is equality. Nothing more and nothing less. We need your voice in the chorus.
Please remember that written submissions are only open until the 7th of January 2025.
How to have your say on the Treaty Principles Bill
Don't listen to the Prime Minister. He may say that he has made his mind up and the Treaty Principles Bill will be voted down after select committee, but it isn't over until it's over.
It is crucially important that as many New Zealanders as possible share their thoughts on the Bill with the select committee via a submission.
The odds of changing the Prime Minister's mind may be slim, but a show of strength from a large number of New Zealanders will send a very strong message, which then can be built on for the next election or possibly even for a Citizens Initiated Referendum.
As promised, we have created a Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill submission tool.We want to make it as easy as possible for you to get your thoughts on the record. Our tool allows you to build a submission by choosing the key points that you agree with and then adding your own if you wish.
We, of course, are supportive of the Bill going through, though we do express concern about the framing of Article/Principle 2. If you are similarly worried about the loophole that this principle could create, I encourage you to include that key point in your submission.
You may have heard that there is a six-month consultation period. That is true, but that includes oral submissions and the process of going through all of the written ones and producing a report.
Written submissions are only open until the 7th of January 2025.
That sounds kind of far away, but it is really only a matter of weeks. Add Christmas and New Year in and the time is going to fly by. We strongly recommend you get your submission done and dusted as soon as possible so it doesn't get forgotten in the chaos of the silly season.
One thing you should be aware of is that the Justice Select Committee (which is in charge of considering the Bill) has told media that they will not accept any submissions that have swearing or accusations of racism in them.
We need your submission to count so please take a deep breath and keep it direct and professional. Trust me, this is one of those situations where I can understand the urge to express yourself strongly, but it is more important that we build pressure on the committee to acknowledge the strength of feeling because of the sheer number of submissions.
This is one of the most important submissions we will ever make. It has the potential to reveal the will of the people and if the Government then ignores that will it opens the door for a Citizens Initiated Referendum, or for ACT - or indeed any other political party - to take the issue to the next election with a strong mandate.
Add your voice so that the silent majority is silent no more. Then chat to friends and family and help them access our tool so that they can have their say too.
This is a rare opportunity for us to get our demands for equality under the law on the record and to force MPs from all parties to pay attention to our arguments for de-racialising our systems and Government.
Don't miss out. Take the opportunity to tell Parliament that you are a New Zealander, not a visitor.
We have to make an impact and can't do it without you.
Time for Scaredy Cat Christopher to find his furballs
At the end of last week, I told you that we were planning to turn up the heat on the Prime Minister and I have never received so many responses to one email. It appears we are agreed that urgent action is merited, and now is not the time to hold back.
That's why we have built ScaredyCatChristopher.nz so that everyone can send an email to Christopher Luxon telling him just how disappointed and disrespected we are all feeling.
Satire and lampooning have a long history in politics and it is our view that the Prime Minister well and truly deserves to be called a Scaredy Cat. He clearly has allowed the media to bully him into making increasingly more strident statements in opposition to the Bill and seems to be so afraid of accusations of racism that he would prefer to dodge important conversations.
Christopher Luxon is so afraid of the media, the Left, and Māori activists that he would rather avoid upsetting them than deliver on what his voters elected the Coalition Government to do.
That has to change. We need the Prime Minister to fear upsetting his own voters more than he does the people who are already committed to disliking him.
It is important to keep correspondence with elected officials respectful, but that does not mean that we cannot tell the Prime Minister in no uncertain terms how much we disagree with his actions.
He has disrespected us by making it clear that he will be ignoring our submissions despite the select committee consultation. He has taken us for fools by saying he likes nothing about the Bill when the very first principle in it begins with: "The Executive Government of New Zealand has full power to govern..." If he disagrees with that he should resign.
He has disrespected the many Hobson's Pledge supporters who voted for a change of Government at the last election. Throughout the election campaign voters made it clear that we wanted an end to race-based policy and for the country to move toward a future where everybody has equal rights.
Scaredy Cat Christopher needs a reality check. He needs to understand how many New Zealanders are unhappy with him and his leadership because of his handling of the Treaty Principles Bill.
>>> Send a wake-up call to Christopher Luxon <<<
It is not sustainable for our country to continue bowing to the pressure of activists whose agenda is to create division in our society where rights and responsibilities assigned depend on race and ancestry.
We need clarity and common understanding of what the Treaty Principles are to move forward as a cohesive country. This is absolutely not about disrespecting Māori. It is about respecting everyone who calls New Zealand home.
Did you know polling completed last month showed just 25% of New Zealanders oppose the Bill? It is very unlikely that the Prime Minister's office haven't seen this polling. So why are they ignoring the will of the people?
If you share my concerns about the future of New Zealand - and the emails I received in response to my last email indicate that a lot of Hobson's Pledge supporters do - please take one or two minutes to send a letter to the Prime Minister.
Once you've done that, share the link with your friends and family, and post it on social media. We need Christopher Luxon's staff to tell him that his inbox is overflowing with emails from disappointed and angry New Zealanders.
What is the point of getting your preferred Government and Prime Minister elected if they advance policies of the people you voted out?
The only way that Christopher Luxon will change his mind is if enough of us show him that it is political suicide not to do so. Collectively, we have the power to remind him that without our votes he will be a one-term Prime Minister.
Te Pāti Māori MP suspended from Parliament
A picture paints a thousand words and the photograph above is a snapshot of the most disgraceful reading of a Bill I can recall in New Zealand's history.
The Treaty Principles Bill is not the first controversial and polarising Bill to have been introduced to New Zealand's Parliament. We have debated abortion, same-sex marriage, and the foreshore and seabed. Inevitably emotions have run high and sharp words have been exchanged, but the behaviour displayed yesterday fell far below the standards we expect of elected officials.
Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke instigated a haka as the vote was being tallied at the end of the speeches. She tore the Bill in half and took to the floor along with her party colleagues. She and Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer performed the haka right up to where David Seymour and ACT sat. Their actions were intimidating and aggressive, and that was the intention.
Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee was left with no option but to suspend the House and empty the gallery which was full of Te Pāti Māori supporters who were also taking part in the haka. It was complete disorder.
Once everyone returned to the House - except Willie Jackson because he had been kicked out earlier for calling David Seymour a liar - Parliament voted to suspend Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke for 24 hours. The Government majority outvoted the opposition parties who all voted against the punishment.
Now, a 24-hour suspension might seem like a pointless and meagre consequence, but the act of the Speaker 'naming' an MP as Speaker Brownlee did is very significant. Maipi-Clarke will have one day of pay docked also.
However, the young MP should not have been the only MP to face consequences. Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi was disorderly in his own speech and concluded it by shouting the colloquialism "see you next Tuesday" at David Seymour. He will, of course, say that he was referring to the protest next Tuesday, but it is relatively well-known that it also refers to a certain four letter word.
Likewise, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer's intimidation of David Seymour was not unlike that of Julie Anne Genter toward Matt Doocey some months ago, and that resulted in a referral to the Privileges Committee. There is no excuse for aggression and intimidation in our House of Parliament no matter if it is cloaked in claims of cultural practice.
We can all stand around pointing and saying "how disgraceful," but there is action we must take on a few different matters.
1. I encourage you to send an email to the Speaker urging him to crack down on disorderly conduct and slipping standards. His email is: [email protected]
2. You might also like to send an email to the Government party leaders asking them to make an appeal to the Speaker for stricter policing of rules and standing orders. [email protected] [email protected]and [email protected]
3. Write to the media about the matter: a letter to the editor, or an email to decision makers about how they are reporting on the issue.
3. Get ready for the first phase of our response to the Treaty Principles Billwhich will come next week. This phase is about putting pressure on the Prime Minister to respect New Zealanders and listen to our submissions.
4. Pop over to David Seymour's Facebook, Instagram, or X and give him a few words of encouragement. What he is doing takes a great deal of courage and we should make sure he knows he has the backing of many New Zealanders.
5. Chip in to our fund to make sure we keep the attention on support for the bill throughout the 6-month Treaty Principles Bill consultation period. Donate here.
I am worried. We are at a crossroads and I fear it could go either way. Our leaders need us to strengthen their spines because they are vulnerable to the intimidation, manipulation, and coercion of the media and activists - some more vulnerable than others.
The media are firmly supportive of the activism of Te Pāti Māori and their hīkoi. In fact, one of TVNZ's most senior executives, Nevak Rogers, has taken annual leave this week to attend the hīkoi. Her social media posts and activism are directly oppositional to TVNZ's laughable claims of impartiality. How can we be expected to have faith in TVNZ's balance when their Chief Content Officer is behaving in such a partisan manner?
The time has come for New Zealanders to loudly express our honest opinions. This doesn't come naturally for many of us. We are generally a non-confrontational and laidback people, but too much is at stake. We need to openly state support for the Treaty Principles Bill and David Seymour's agenda for equality and clarity. Share your views with friends and family. Post on social media. Be bold.
If we do not emphatically stand up for democracy and what is right now, we will lose the ability to do so at all. New Zealand needs you.
Remember "the standard you walk past is the standard you accept."
Some schools encouraged students to attend the hīkoi!
A quick note from me just to make you aware of the politicisation occurring in New Zealand schools.
And I would like to quickly acknowledge that you will be hearing from us a bit more frequently in the coming weeks as there is so much happening around the Treaty Principles Bill that we need to keep you updated on. These issues are too important not to share with you.
Yesterday, the hīkoi that was meant to be about the Treaty Principles Bill made its way across the Auckland Harbour Bridge. I say 'meant to be' because those taking part cited a number of issues as their reason for being there, including hatred of David Seymour, a desire to get rid of the Government (that was Willie Jackson), and (judging by the flags) pro-Palestine activism.
It was a school day, and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour made it clear that students should be at school. Some schools, it seems, disagreed.
Here is one example from Naenae Primary School. Kiwiblog also shares one from South Wellington Intermediate School.
David Farrar has suggested that New Zealanders concerned with the blatant politicisation going on should report schools which are breaching political neutrality to the Teaching Council.
We think this is a great idea.
As we are demonstrating with our approach to fighting back with the media, Hobson's Pledge is done with politely tolerating the behaviour of radicals. Our opponents use any means possible to silence and attack us, why should we not use regulatory tools (appropriately, I might add) to disincentivise destructive activism.
The Kiwiblog article shows some examples that you can report to the Teaching Council, but you may have heard of others. Please let us know if you have, and we can report those too.
CLICK HERE FOR THE TEACHING COUNCIL COMPLAINT FORM
Once the form has been completed, email it to: [email protected] or post to: Manager Professional Responsibility Teaching Council Aotearoa New Zealand PO Box 5326, Wellington 6140 New Zealand.
Why does Luxon hate the Treaty Principles Bill?
The Prime Minister says there is NOTHING he likes about the Treaty Principles Bill.
NOTHING.
Presumably this includes Principle One that says:
The Executive Government of New Zealand has full power to govern, and the Parliament of New Zealand has full power to make laws,— | |||
(a) |
in the best interests of everyone; and |
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(b) |
in accordance with the rule of law and the maintenance of a free and democratic society. |
It seems pretty messed up for a prime minister to not want the power to govern and not support the rule of law or a free democratic society.
What about Principle Two?
(1) |
The Crown recognises, and will respect and protect, the rights that hapū and iwi Māori had under the Treaty of Waitangi/te Tiriti o Waitangi at the time they signed it. |
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(2) |
However, if those rights differ from the rights of everyone, subclause (1) applies only if those rights are agreed in the settlement of a historical treaty claim under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975. |
I have my own reservations about this one, but that’s because I worry it could be a loophole for race-based policy. I would have thought Luxon would agree with protecting the rights of Māori as agreed through Treaty settlements though!
Surely he must be mistaken about Principle Three though. No one could oppose this...
(1) |
Everyone is equal before the law. |
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(2) |
Everyone is entitled, without discrimination, to— |
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(a) |
the equal protection and equal benefit of the law; and |
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(b) |
the equal enjoyment of the same fundamental human rights. |
We have big problems if our Prime Minister opposes equality before the law and human rights. What kind of tyrant is he?
I can't detect anything wrong with those three principles and that is all the Treaty Principles Bill is. The principles are faithful to what the Treaty of Waitangi explicitly says. The creative principles pulled out of thin air by the judiciary are far more outrageous.
The more I think about it, the angrier I get. Christopher Luxon doesn't care that a majority of New Zealanders support the bill. Voters of National, New Zealand First, and ACT especially.
He is turning his back on the people that voted his Government into power and what for? Pats on the head from the media? Well, tough luck, mate. The media are giving him grief regardless.
The media are acting like promoters of the hīkoi and protests. They are directing readers to meeting points and portraying the whole thing as a moral crusade. Not once have they asked the protestors to explain what they don't like about the bill. Do they know what they are protesting about?
Is Luxon afraid of the Māori activists? We know that Toitū Te Tiriti (the group organising the hīkoi) is just an astroturf for Te Pāti Māori. They have never minced their words about how they feel about Luxon either.
I wonder how his MPs feel about him pandering to the media and Te Pāti Māori supporters all of whom would rather eat glass than ever vote National. They must see the polling in support of the bill and wonder what the heck their leader is doing.
There will be a six month consultation process through the select committee on this bill. Thousands of New Zealanders will make submissions. Will the Government even bother to read them? Christopher Luxon has repeatedly said that nothing will change his mind on the bill. Frankly, his casual refusal to listen to the views of New Zealanders is rude.
Regardless, we are building a tool to enable Hobson's Pledge supporters to make meaningful Treaty Principles Bill submissions. We will get our perspectives on the record even if they aren't respected by the Prime Minister.
But we also want the Prime Minister to understand how angry we are. We cannot afford for Luxon to be another John Key; taking our votes only to cowardly hide from dealing with tough race relations issues.
Christopher Luxon needs to remember who will vote him into a second term as Prime Minister. It won't be radical Māori activists.
We are thinking about setting up a tool so that everybody can send letters to Luxon directly, so that everybody can let him know how we feel about how he is treating this bill and New Zealanders. What are your thoughts?
I'm keen to go hard on this. If National don't get how important this is to us they will keep trampling over us. Do you think it's time to stop playing nice?
I'm willing to call it what it is: weak leadership, cowardice, and really, really dumb.
If our supporters are keen to send a message to Luxon and give him a reality check, we will get the tool built and send you the link ASAP.
It's Treaty Principles Bill time!
We've been waiting for its arrival and tomorrow we will get our first look at the Treaty Principles Bill when it is introduced to Parliament.
News of this earlier introduction was allegedly leaked by the ever-combative Waitangi Tribunal.
Tomorrow, we will finally know the exact wording and be able to form our own opinions on the Bill.
Chris Hipkins hasn't been willing to wait, however, and has been handwringing on TVONE this morning. He even claimed that it would put existing Treaty Settlements at risk which has never been on the table with this Bill.
Unfortunately, I think we can expect to see a continuation of the underhanded and less than honest approach opponents to the Bill have being employing thus far. Even as I write, threats are being made to close down motorways next week in protest – because nothing expresses care for people and society like stopping kiwis getting to and from work or school.
We are holding our breath to see how the Government have shaped up the Bill in regards to Article 2 of the Treaty. There has been speculation, but we will reserve our judgement until tomorrow!
We will make sure to keep you in the loop with the Bill and are working on a tool to assist you in submitting your thoughts when it goes to the Select Committee. The consultation period will be six months long so we intend to make sure everyone takes their time and gets a thorough submission in.
Advertising Standards Authority Appeal
Not a lot to share on this today except that our lawyers are working on our appeal and we intend to challenge the decisions of the Authority. As soon as we can share our appeal documents without compromising our case we will do so.
My thanks to those of you who were willing and able to chip in to contribute to legal costs. That generosity is always appreciated and for those who still wish to help out you can do so by clicking here.
Teach your kid to be a raging racist!
We were sent an opinion piece written by Josie Pagani in August this year about a book called Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapōkai.
Josie calls the book "a daring and delightful account" but is disturbed by how it promotes divisive race narratives in quite an adult voice.
For example, the main character says, "I will hit all the English people in the face because they stole the land”. He also says, "My Dad is Māori like me. I feel sorry for my Mum. She's only Pākehā.”
Is this really what we want our kids thinking is okay? To hit people because people of the same race as them did something more than one hundred years ago? To present races as unequal? One race being worthy of pride and one not?
Depressingly, the book has won awards and accolades. It makes you wonder about the people who give these awards out.
Royal Society gets a telling off by Māori academics
The Royal Society Te Apārangi is proposing a governance restructure which will remove dedicated Māori representation from its council. It will also entrench the power of its Academy of Fellows. The new structure halves the council’s size, from 12 to six, and removes its two existing Māori seats.
The Royal Society Te Apārangi is a not-for-profit providing funding and policy advice in the sciences and humanities.
The proposed restructure has drawn the ire of some "prominent Māori academics" who have signed an open letter to the society President, Distinguished Professor Dame Jane Harding.
The letter contains a not-so-subtle threat that "if there is no visible space for Māori decision-making in this reimagined structure, the creation of an independent Māori Academy may be the path forward.”
They also said:
“It feels like a major step backwards from the inclusive governance model we have been working towards and lacks any meaningful consideration of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”
The Treaty does not provide for race-based representation in any kind of governance so this is just another example of Treaty-creep where the reach and scope of the Treaty are expanded.
Needless to say, we at Hobson's Pledge think that removing race-based representation is an excellent move and we hope the Royal Society holds its nerve under the attacks from academia, media, and activists.
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I will email you again shortly with more on the Treaty Principles Bill and no doubt other matters, but in the meantime I am sure we all have our eyes cast to the United States! Here's hoping for a swift result and a dignified concession from the unsuccessful candidate. Democracy is precious and we must all protect it in our various corners of the world.
We're going to appeal - are you up for the fight?
This week one of our battles came to somewhat of a close (though we'll continue to keep an eye on it) and we've decided to kick another up a gear.
Alongside Hobson's Pledge's legal counsel Brigitte Morten from Franks Ogilvie, Ipresented to the Justice Select Committee about our perspective on the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) (Customary Marine Title) Amendment Bill.
You can watch our submission on our Facebook Page.
We left no doubt that we support the passing of the bill because of the way the courts have distorted Parliament’s original intention with the 2011 Act, but we also made it clear there are vulnerabilities in the new bill and we would prefer a return to the Foreshore and Seabed Act of 2004.
A highlight for me was when Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris attempted to cast the law as "Pākehā law" and Brigitte Morten responded that as a lawyer she recognises only laws from the New Zealand Parliament and doesn't distinguish between "Pākehā law" and "non-Pākehā law".
The Justice Select Committee will write a report once they have concluded consultation and then the Government will proceed to the Second Reading. Our job is to ensure there is no funny business as it makes its way through Parliament to be passed.
Stiffening our spine
In the past year or so, you may have noticed a shift in our approach to dealing with those who attack us. We have always been forthright and confident in our principles, but we have recently made a conscious choice to meet more of the attacks on people like you, and New Zealand's democracy, head on.
We have taken more legal action and been more outspoken in our advocacy. We have been unafraid, for example, to place an ad on the front cover of the NZ Herald that we knew, despite being factual, would be received by our opponents as a declaration of war.
We have made these choices, but we could not take a single action without the backing of you and our team of around 140,000 New Zealanders. The determination of our supporters to create change has inspired us and the generous donations to the cause have funded the fights we take up on behalf of you all.
So, what's next?
Well, we're calling in the lawyers again. This time it is to appeal the Advertising Standard Authority's ruling on our front page advertisement about New Zealand's coastline and Customary Marine Titles.
The ASA received more than 600 complaints relating to our ad. Much of that appears to have come from a concerted and organised effort.
You may have seen the gloating from Te Pāti Māori and allies as they used the ASA decision to justify their assertions that we were wrong in our claims. Want to prove them wrong and stop the glee? Get on board with our battle.
We were not wrong. The ASA simply grounded their decisions in opinion rather than objective fact. Although we were glad to see that only a small part of the complaints was upheld, they are significant and it we are loathe to see the judgement used to misinform New Zealanders about the facts.
Legal action and lawyers don't come cheap, especially excellent lawyers who understand this area of the law so well. So I am asking you to join the fight and chip in what you can so that we can launch an appeal.
We have to play the ideological regulators and managerial class at their own games. Not the least because they hate to be beaten on home turf.
The tendency for amateur authoritarians to paint those whom they disagree with as ‘evil’ rather than just holding a differing viewpoint has been cancerous to our ability to debate important and difficult subjects.
Hobson's Pledge and our supporters are a team. We have the platform and voice to take on the battles and our supporters bring strength in numbers, bolster our confidence, and ensure we can afford to pay the bills that come with these fights.
What do you say? Are you up for another fight? We won't give up if you won't.