We are making sure New Zealanders know just how much of our coast is being carved up into customary marine titles and today we hit the front page.
It is thanks to Hobson's Pledge supporters, like you, who chipped in to our Save Our Shores fund that we have been able to place ads on the *FRONT PAGE* of today's New Zealand Herald plus the inside cover.
Additionally, you'll find similar full page ads in several regional papers this week.
We are expecting some blowback and the poor folks at the Herald will no doubt be receiving complaints, but this is because our opponents don't want New Zealanders to be informed on this issue. If we weren't exposing truths that Te Pāti Māori and the like don't want to be public knowledge they wouldn't react so aggressively to our attempts to gather awareness.
Speaking of which, I read this morning that New Plymouth Councillor Murray Chong has been targeted due to his opposition to Māori Wards. Someone fired a shot at his car!
The poor man is clearly terrified for himself and his family. He told reporters:
"I'm now scared. I've had my life threatened several times in letters.
"I now can't walk by myself at night because I've been told I will be king-hit and I'll wake up in a hospital. I've had people say they will grab my dog, chop it up into quarters and leave it on my doorstep. I've had my daughter hassled."
It is worth remembering that these threateners and thugs are extremists. Murray Chong may be in the minority on the council, but polling shows that New Zealanders (including a majority of Te Pāti Māori voters) support referenda for Māori Wards!
This incident, as well as the other harassment Councillor Chong has endured due to his stance on Māori Wards and related policies, demonstrates how high the political temperature is in New Zealand currently.
Because of this, I have reached out to Te Pāti Māori co-leaders offering a joint statement condemning the violence directed at Murray Chong and calling for calm. We await their response and will go ahead with a solo statement this evening if they decline or we don't hear back.
These are incredible times. I share your intense dedication to pursuing our goal of an equal and unified New Zealand. Hobson's Pledge will not take our foot off the pedal, but we will do so with an utter commitment to non-violent advocacy and activism.
I urge you to join us in standing firm in our beliefs and principles and rejecting violence.
Cheers again, to everyone who contributed to the Save Our Shores fund. We'll be in touch with more details as to the next stage of this campaign.
P.S. Keep an eye out for another small campaign we are kicking off soon to ensure that our Prime Minister doesn't listen to John....