Category: Constitutional Reform
There are many reasons the Coalition should press pause on their local government reforms, but the most important is their fundamentally undemocratic and draconian approach. They are not only disrespecting the wishes of local communities but trampling on their rights to determine how their voices are represented around the decision-making table.
For all the noise about “simplifying” local government in Northland, one question remains unanswered: where has bigger ever proven better? No one can point to a single example in New Zealand where amalgamation has delivered lower costs, better services, or stronger communities.
In this country, the pressure for parallel authority is being driven by iwi leaders, who, thanks to the appeasement policies of successive governments and generous taxpayer funded Treaty settlements, now preside over vast tax‑free business empires. Not only are they replacing “Kiwi culture” with iwi culture - enriching themselves in the process - but they are now attempting to gain constitutional control of New Zealand.
For decades, New Zealand has been undergoing a quiet constitutional revolution. What was once largely unnoticed is now becoming increasingly visible - so much so that the Coalition Government can no longer ignore it if it hopes to remain in office.
When Governor Hobson on the 6th of February 1840 at the signing of the document between the Crown and some Maori Chiefs uttered the words “now we are one” he was embarking New Zealand on a journey which was without precedent in the history of colonialism.
These recent attempts by iwi leaders to control local government show just how serious this tribal takeover has become. Just because the government changed, it doesn’t mean New Zealand is safe. Quite the opposite. With the framework for tribal rule already in place, iwi are now hunting for every opportunity to impose their controls onto an unsuspecting public.
FNDC is subverting the fundamental tenets of local government. It is deliberate defiance of legislative requirements sacrificing democracy and the rule of law in the advancement of an ideological cause. The Minister should demonstrate his commitment to democracy and the rule of law by taking action without further hesitation.
With hundreds of thousands of voters still undecided, the 2026 election remains fluid. In an environment of ongoing global uncertainty, questions over economic security, political stability, and constitutional integrity are likely to dominate voter decisions.
Those in charge of the neotribal corporations have grandiose ambitions. Not content with righting historical wrongs, their ambitions extend to acquiring both vast amounts of capital and the political power.
The case not only demonstrated that the Crown was unwilling to put tikanga on trial, but it also highlights how the growing use of tikanga in the legal system is distorting outcomes and undermining the principle of equal justice. In fact, when cultural assertions are used to override clear evidence and established legal standards, the Rule of Law itself is being undermined.
Loading ...
