I submitted this comment today at 1 am to Parliament.
I am submitting the following commentary to express my opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill.
When traveling overseas, New Zealanders are often complimented by our progress dealing with indigenous people. We know that we still have a long way to go, but it is undeniable that we have made a lot of headway during the last 50 years or so.
It is important to remember that we, the citizens of New Zealand, do not start all equal from a neutral point. We have a complex history in which The Treaty of Waitangi is an important milestone, a founding document, an agreement between two peoples. Soon after signing the Treaty, the Crown broke its promises, leading to a continuous decline in Māori rights and culture. This led to the establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal half a century ago.
Stating today that Māori are in a position of privilege, that are somewhat favored by our current legislation is misleading and dishonest. Any differences on treatment between Māori and non-Māori aim at leveling the playing field, acknowledging the lack of neutrality in our starting positions. Moreover, any changes to the partnership agreement and its interpretation should be agreed by both parties, not a unilateral move pushed by a political minority party.
This bill, is a divisive distraction that is focusing much attention of the political system, while leaving other multiple political challenges pushed by the same political minority free of scrutiny. It is an embarrassment that the governing coalition is exposing our society to such a dangerous move.
I hope that Members of Parliaments can set aside political calculations and reject this Bill by an ample majority.