Co-governance has been placed under a spotlight thanks to the referendum call from ACT. Support the Referendum

Regardless of your voting intentions or political affiliation, support for this petition is essential if New Zealanders are to have a say. ACT’s Karen Chhour spoke passionately in the House confirming the party’s position.

In his speech at the Milford Rotary Club, David Seymour articulated the key issues.

His comments included: “But here’s the thing. Not all Māori are struggling and not all those struggling are Māori. The best way to address unequal outcomes is to improve ALL our health and education policies – not to single out one group for special treatment because of their ethnicity.”

Concluding with a commitment that ACT will campaign for a referendum on co-governance has catapulted the issue into the political arena. Full speech here

Making an Impact

Co-governance is also being highlighted by Hobson’s Pledge supporters. After the Maori Party announced that they would only be willing to go into a post-election coalition with a party committed to co-governance, the National Party were sent a clear message that they must rule out coalitions that would further separatism. Nearly 10,000 people used our on-line tool at www.ruleitout.nz to send e-mails to MPs, calling on National to rule out a Maori Party coalition.  

The submissions to the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill also received some media exposure, with Hobson’s Pledge directly responsible for three quarters of the submissions against that Bill. Full article here: Democracy or division: The wrangle over Ngāi Tahu and ECan | Stuff.co.nz

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This is a longer update than usual, with so much to cover in recent weeks.

In today's update, we look at the divisive new history curriculum, the Government running full steam ahead with the separate Maori Health Authority, shocking comments from MPs attacking democracy, and unfortunate developments with the Hauraki Gulf Forum.

Higher standard needed for History

The new history curriculum, announced last week, will become a tool for dividing New Zealanders, with its clear focus on two types of citizenship.  

With a failing education system producing shameful outcomes in literacy, numeracy, and even attendance, this Government continues to evade accountability by distracting New Zealanders with ideology.

Although originally scheduled for introduction to schools at the beginning of 2022, there was a range of criticism, including the strong influence of ideology and the complete omission of many important aspects of our history, which caused a 12 month delay. The delay was defended by Education Minister Chris Hipkins.

“The feedback the Ministry received was wide-ranging, clear, and at times confronting. New Zealanders have a lot to say about how our nation’s histories should be examined and discussed, and that is a good thing,” Chris Hipkins said.

The new curriculum requires students to make “informed ethical judgement(s) about people’s actions”.  Making ethical judgement is not the role of history and the question must be asked as to who defines “ethical”.

Analysis of the curriculum shows the strong influence of separatist ideology.  This will do little to reduce division or encourage unity.  ACT’s education spokesperson Chris Baillie expressed valid concerns about the curriculum. 

“…Labour is trying to make New Zealand an unequal society on purpose. It believes there are two types of New Zealanders. Tangata Whenua, who are here by right, and Tangata Tiriti who are lucky to be here. We should be learning the history of our multi-ethnic society.”

New Zealanders – heal thyself

Funding of $22 million has been announced for the Maori Health Authority, which is being established under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill, even though the Bill is still with the Select Committee.

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Today the Working Group on the divisive Three Waters reforms published their report, leaving the fundamental problem - co-governance - still threaded through their recommendations.

While various headlines have talked up the report proposing shares for councils based on population, those councils would still be subject to a co-governance model stripping local, democratic control from New Zealand's water infrastructure.

This is why Hobson's Pledge, with your support, is sounding the alarm and showing the public the dangers they face with ever-expanding co-governance. 

Copied below are my comments to the media.

Thank you for your support.

Don Brash
Trustee
Hobson’s Pledge

 

MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9 MARCH 2022

Recommendations by the Three Waters Working Group announced today reaffirm the theft of water assets from local councils and the Government’s commitment to have half of all the board members of the regional entities set up to manage the country’s water infrastructure appointed by iwi, said Hobson's Pledge spokesman Don Brash.

“The announcement today tried to provide an assurance of ownership retention through a complex shareholding model."

“But despite the PR spin, councils would not have ownership in any meaningful sense."

“In October last year, it was clear that the legislation was intended to implement a co-governance model that would deprive councils of ownership in any real sense. Our predictions have been realised.”

“Local Government NZ has announced their support for the recommendations, claiming that the Working Group’s recommendations strengthened public ownership.”

But Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has made his dissenting view clear in the Working Group’s report, noting that “democratic accountability, through elected representatives, to the people who funded the water infrastructure in Auckland valued at many billions of dollars and who continue to pay for its operation is critical.”  

He went further, noting that “It is not appropriate to cede control over this infrastructure to other councils and mana whenua and to remove existing accountability to Aucklanders through elected representatives.”

“Misreading the concerns of every community in New Zealand, the Working Group has sought to provide additional reassurance of protection against privatisation,” said Brash.

“But for most New Zealanders the worry is that the Government’s proposal would strip away the ownership of assets paid for by generations of ratepayers and hand control to unelected and unaccountable tribal representatives under a co-governance model which is 100 miles from any concept of democracy, and bears no relationship to what the Treaty of Waitangi provided.  Mr Goff is right.”

“LGNZ’s statement demonstrated its total disregard for ratepayers by concluding that public consultation should be restricted to the Select Committee process.”

“The arrogance with which this Government is deceiving ratepayers is staggering and, contrary to the assurance from Willie Jackson, it would seem New Zealanders have every reason to be afraid,” said Brash.

ENDS

Independent polling by Curia Market Research, commissioned by Hobson’s Pledge, shows that 72 percent of voters say our country is more divided today than 12 months ago.

This is a damning indictment on this Government’s separatist agenda.

Claims that the He Puapua Report – which recommends radical policy based on race – was a separatist agenda were denounced by Prime Minister Ardern when she assured the public that the Report did not reflect Government policy

But despite this assurance it is clear that the reality is very different.  

“The divisiveness perceived by the public is striking and should give the Government pause concerning the breakneck pace with which it is upending the foundations of democracy in New Zealand,” said Don Brash.

A copy of the polling report can be found at:  https://www.hobsonspledge.nz/polling_report

Since the report’s reluctant release after the election in late 2020 the attacks on democracy and equality before the law have continued unabated, and indeed have accelerated.

But, as explained by Jacinta Ruru, one of the authors of the He Puapua report, there is more to come.

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