New Zealand's former Reserve Bank Governor, Don Brash, hits a home run.
Posted on 01/27/2004 12:29:27 PM PST by shaggy eel
Don Brash wants to strip Maori of their special status, saying a National government will revoke court-issued customary titles, do away with iwi consultation and scrap the Maori seats.
In the strongest speech by a National Party leader on race relations since Sir Robert Muldoon, he last night accused some Maori of using the Treaty of Waitangi to make money and warned that Maori entitlements under the Government's foreshore and seabed proposal were so sweeping they invited corruption.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said Dr Brash was engaging in the "politics of desperation". Retired academic Ranginui Walker said Dr Brash was "having a go at the brownies to get some cheap brownie points".
Dr Brash also asserted that there were no full-blooded Maori left in New Zealand.
"It is bizarre that, in a society where the prime minister refuses to allow grace to be said at a state banquet because, she says, we are an increasingly secular society, we fly Maori elders around the world to lift tapu and expel evil spirits from New Zealand embassies; we allow courts to become entangled in hearings about the risks to taniwha of a new road or building; we refuse to undertake potentially life-saving earthworks on Mt Ruapehu lest we interfere with the spirit of the mountain and we allow our environment law to be turned into an opportunistic farce by allowing metaphysical and spiritual considerations to be taken into account in the decision process."
Last night's speech to the Orewa Rotary Club was crucial for Dr Brash, whose leadership of National has so far failed to pull it out of the poll doldrums after his honeymoon ended abruptly over deputy leadership ructions.
It picks up where his predecessor Bill English left off with National's "one standard of citizenship for all" campaign, which aimed to target Pakeha dissatisfaction over laws giving Maori special status.
Dr Brash rejected the notion that Maori should have special civil, political or democratic rights and accused the Government of taking New Zealand down a "separatist" path.
"We intend to remove divisive race-based features from legislation. The principles of the Treaty – never clearly defined yet ever expanding – are the thin end of a wedge leading to a racially divided state and we want no part of that."
National would get rid of the Maori seats in Parliament, get rid of the obligation to consult with Maori in preference to other New Zealanders in local government legislation and legislate to return the foreshore and seabed to crown ownership where that was currently believed to exist.
Limited customary rights would be recognised but a National government would revoke any customary titles issued by the current government. It would also fund welfare based on need, not race. "I acknowledge that there are problems of Maori socioeconomic disparity in some places, mostly rural . . . but these are not Treaty issues, they are social welfare issues."
Miss Clark said it was the duty of political leaders to try to bring people together, not drive them apart. "I think this kind of speech sets out to be divisive and that is not in the interests of New Zealand."
National's sole Maori MP, Georgina te Heuheu, said the Treaty was firmly a part of the fabric of New Zealand society "inconvenient as it may be for some".
"The very least I would hope is that nothing he (Dr Brash) says will have the impact of over-riding the courageous position of the National Party in the 90s on this stuff under (Jim) Bolger and Doug Graham."
New Zealand's former Reserve Bank Governor, Don Brash, hits a home run.
I'm wondering what support there is for Dr. Brash's position and whether he has any chance of getting this accomplished?
385 voters said "no", reflecting 24% of the poll. However, 1177 voters, or 75% said "yes". He's timed this well as a lead in to this year's elections. He knows, as does most of the country, where Labour's pressure points are.
Bravo for Mr. Brash.
. . . 1177 voters, or 75% said "yes". He's timed this well as a lead in to this year's elections.
Excellent! We hope Mr. Brash will be able to fully capitalize on such a tremendous response.
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