Many reasons to be positive about future

If we choose, it will become an even better place for all

We no longer sweep racism and discrimination under the carpet. We are confronting it.

Iam optimistic about Aotearoa New Zealand. I believe in our future. That might seem like a strange thing to say, when the news is full of this crisis and that crisis. When we’re told the health system is creaking, the kids aren’t going to school, and prices and interest rates are going up. When we have tractors blocking our motorways to oppose investment in water infrastructure and a price on climate pollution. But I am optimistic. We have full employment with quarter of a million jobs created in the past five years. There are 66,000 fewer children living in poverty than five years ago.

Employers are falling over themselves to get workers, and wages are rising faster than inflation.

We have record house-building. House prices and rents are falling. So are the wait lists for state houses, and the number of families living in motels.

Kids’ attendance at school has bounced back after the Covid wave. Yes, 60 per cent of kids were off for four or more days in Term 2, but in Term 4 daily attendance has hit as high as 88 per cent.

Programmes like Better Pathways are getting young people in trouble back in school. Re-offending dropped by a third, compared to 15 per cent for boot camps that cost $250,000 per kid. And ram raids have been cut by three-quarters in recent months.

Despite the increased workload caused by Covid, we have more doctors and nurses than ever before. Other countries saw their health systems collapse. Ours didn’t. We finally have a real plan to reduce our greenhouse emissions, and businesses and government are coming together to make it happen.

And we no longer sweep racism and discrimination under the carpet. We are confronting it. That is difficult and uncomfortable for many but as a society, we are saying we will no longer put up with it.

Yes, we see violent rhetoric and violence from white supremacists and incel (involuntary celibate) wannabe fascist losers but, the fact is, they are losing. What were once acceptable bigoted attitudes are now the purview of extreme minorities.

But one thing needs to change – the treatment of women of colour.

We are far too accepting of the discrimination and bigotry that has been levelled at Nanaia Mahuta, Cindy Kiro, Marama Davidson and other prominent wā hine Mā ori both in mainstream media and social media. Likewise, we need to stop accepting the wage gap that sees wā hine Mā ori and Pasifika women earning a quarter less than Pā kehā men.

If we can move past these prejudices, and right these wrongs, we will truly unleash the power of women of colour, and that will help create a better Aotearoa New Zealand for all.This country is not, and never will be, perfect but it is a wonderful place to live. If we choose to make it so, it will become an even better place for us all.

This will be my last column for the Herald. I’m stepping back from political commentary to focus more on my day job and my family. It has been a privilege.

He kupu whakamutunga mō u I leave these last words

He kupu whakaaro mō u and these thoughts

Ka puritia e au ngā tapuwae kua aratakina e tā tou ki aku mahara

I bare the footsteps we have paved together

Ko te reo aumihi e rere ana ki a kō utau e hikoi ana i te mata o te whenua

To those who have embarked on this journey with me

wē tahi kā ore i whakaae ki wā ku nei kō rero, engari kei a koe tō u reo, kei a koe ō u kō rero, me tō u mana motuhake

Some of you have not agreed with my views, however I have valued your views, your words, your stance

Tē nei te mihi ki a kō utau taringa areare, e tautoko nei i au

Salutations to all those who have listened, those who have supported me through this journey.

Hei te mutunga, he pā pā , he tama, he hoa, he kairipota ahau, engari ko te mea tino whakahirahira ki au, ko tō ku kā wai whakapapa nō roto o

Ngā ti Raka, Ngā i Tū hoe

Finally, I am a father, a friend, a columnist but most importantly my genealogy acknowledges my descent from Ngā ti Raka, Ngā i Tū hoe

“Tū hoe moumou kai, moumou tangata ki te pō ”.

“Tū hoe people known for abundance with food, treasures and people”