Which way to go?
This year’s general election will be the most important in living memory, and the fork in the road that is the Ihuma¯tao situation is part of that.
We know that the Ihuma¯tao deal was already signed and sealed, that it was a full and final deal, that it was of benefit to the mana whenua and the wha¯nau involved, as well as a great project to lessen the Auckland housing crisis, with jobs and incoming economy to boot.
Illegal protests then occurred, and this current Labour government has apparently decided to follow the direction of illegal activity rather than adhere to New Zealand law.
Since the formation of the Waitangi Tribunal, we have witnessed ‘full and final’ settlements not be full and final, with ‘top-ups,’‘extras,’ along with increasingly bizarre claims such as radio waves, the entitlement to personhood and voice of a river, and the entirety of the New Zealand coastline. Even prisoner voting rights and child protection services have now been targeted for an expanding industry of grievance.
Ihuma¯tao is a consequence of this new, expanding jurisdiction, but goes even further, and allows for the most extreme Treaty precedents in New
Zealand history. If this Labour/Green/ NZF government pushes for a new taxpayer-funded Ihuma¯tao ‘settlement,’ however legally grey and carefully worded, this will set two pathways in motion: all previously finalised settlements will be open for rejection and renegotiation, and private land will then be up for grabs.
We are witnessing the growth of resentment, guilt, confusion and entitlement within our people, and much of this stems from the new combination of fake, real and made-up grievances. The racial rift exploited by race-baiting politicians, opportunistic corporates and undemocratic authorities proclaiming false virtue are profiting from our families of all skin colour. Ma¯ori deserve much better than this.
Ka mua, ka muri. We have looked back, as we needed to. It is now time to move forward.
We must honour the deal that was already done in Ihuma¯tao. We must disband the Waitangi Tribunal and stop race-based policies so that we may all walk forward into the future. Together. And finally realise the spirit of the Treaty that William Hobson stated to each chief as he signed.
“He iwi tahi ta¯tou.”
"The racial rift exploited by racebaiting politicians, opportunistic corporates and undemocratic authorities proclaiming false virtue are profiting from our families of all skin colour. Ma¯ ori deserve much better than this."