Candidates are holding meetings up and down the country. We thought we would put together a few questions to ask your candidates. Go to a meeting and see how many you can get a response on. You may email candidates in your area. Let us know how you get on.
Racism
Do you support the democratic principle that the Government should treat all citizens equally in law, irrespective of ethnicity? A yes or no answer would be appreciated.
Race-based Government
We are regularly told that race-based appointments at governance level are necessary for “Maori” to have a voice. Can you please explain what particular aspects of being Maori are so unique or beyond reproach that democracy’s principles of equal citizenship should be subverted?
Fresh water
Do you support tribal elite claims to own, control, allocate, or tax fresh water?
Taxation:
- Do you support tax exemptions for tribal businesses?
- Do you think it’s fair that tax-paying businesses are competing with tribal businesses which don’t pay any tax?
Foreshore and seabed:
National’s Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 has resulted in approximately 580 claims this year, covering every centimetre of New Zealand’s coastline, including the very busy Waitemata and Manukau Harbours and the Hauraki Gulf.
The process alone will cost taxpayers millions, before any settlements. Do you support this process?
Co-governance of harbours
Where do you stand on co-governance (50% elected representatives and 50% tribal appointees) of New Zealand’s commercial and recreational harbours such as Tauranga (which is happening) and the Waitemata and Manukau Harbours (which is in the pipeline)?
Local government
- Do you support unelected/unaccountable tribal appointees voting on local government committees?
- Do you support unelected/unaccountable tribal elite having preferential influence on planning & resource management consents?
- Auckland’s Independent Māori Statutory Board has resulted in significant expense and mismanagement, while doing nothing to improve the lot of Maori Aucklanders. Do you support its dissolution?
- Do you support or oppose Māori wards and Māori seats in local government?
Education
The government-appointed Education Council now requires Teachers to demonstrate and model their commitment to a bicultural partnership, affirm Maori learners as tangata whenua, practice and develop the use of te reo, design and plan approaches which reflect the bicultural partnership in Aotearoa New Zealand, demonstrate respect for Maori beliefs, language, culture and customary protocols and affirm the Maori world view.
- Can you please explain how forcing teachers to do all this will ensure our children’s education will be of world standard?
- Can you explain how a maths teacher complying with this will ensure our children are competent in maths?
- Can you please explain what the “Maori world view” is?
- Can you please explain what specific “Maori beliefs, language, culture and customary protocols” teachers are required to demonstrate respect for?
Separatism
The National/Maori Government has implemented significant race-based legislation.
- Can you name one country in the world that has enjoyed peace and prosperity under race-based or tribal-based government or laws?
- Can you name one ethnicity in the world that has generally progressed in terms of health, education and ability under race-based or tribal-based government or laws?
No improvement to Maori negative social indicators
The Maori economy is now estimated to be worth $50 billion and getting bigger by the day. Many tribal businesses have been structured as charities to avoid paying tax, and many tribal appointees are enjoying big paying, race-based jobs - consulting, giving approvals and co-governing us. How is it then that there’s been no trickle down to everyday Maori and no improvement in all the often-quoted negative social indicators?
Maori electoral roll
There are currently 25 Members of Parliament with Maori ancestry. Eighteen are elected or list MPs on the general roll. Seven are elected to Maori seats. The total number of MPs with Maori ancestry is around 20 percent of the total number of MPs whereas Maori make up only 14.9 percent of the total population. Do you support or oppose the extra, race-based Maori seats and the Maori electoral roll?
Click here to see responses from the ACT Party.