Category: Constitutional Reform
Forty-two councils are set to hold pivotal referenda on the future of Maori seats in October, yet few New Zealanders appear to grasp just how high the stakes actually are. Proponents of Maori sovereignty understand the gravity: losing these seats would deal a crushing blow to their push for control over local councils. More critically, it could jeopardise their race-based parliamentary seats and their He Puapua plan to dominate “Aotearoa” by 2040.
The Kaipara District Council stands alone as the only council to disestablish its Maori ward. By doing so, it has avoided the need for the referendum that is about to be held by 42 other councils that introduced Maori wards without obtaining a mandate from the public before doing so. I spoke with Kaipara Mayor, Craig Jepson, about his experience with their Maori ward and why his council thought disestablishment was the appropriate path to take.
New Zealand has one of the world's longest running democracies, but the Maori seats have been weaponised to destroy it. Will the Coalition accelerate the tribal takeover by introducing tikanga into Parliament, or will they honour their election pledge and reject it?
The Court’s role is to interpret and apply the law as Parliament has enacted it, not to substitute its own judgment for that of elected representatives. As the UK Supreme Court has shown, respect for democracy demands judicial discipline, not activism.
President Trump wants to re-establish reciprocity in trade to enable the US to strengthen its economic base and rebuild a security umbrella for citizens and allies. His ultimate goal is to use tariffs to switch the US from taxing labour to taxing imports, by using funds collected to lower income tax towards zero for most Americans.
As our mothers will have told us this as we stood staring in to fridge looking for something which is under our nose but often when simple truths are staring us in the face we look the other way rather than face them. Such is happening today on a massive scale threatening to undermine our democracy and our way of life.
If the Coalition refuses to honour its election pledge to amend the Marine and Coast Area Act to deliver what Parliament intended instead of what activist judges have ruled, our coast will end up in the hands of hundreds of tribal groups, who, at the stroke of a pen, could sign lucrative deals with China to exploit the invaluable mineral wealth in our seabed.
A legislative response is both necessary and appropriate. Parliament is sovereign in our constitutional hierarchy. Courts gain their legitimacy from being impartial. When they insert themselves into policy debates or try to influence legislation, they risk undermining public confidence. They also undermine the rule of law by creating legal uncertainty.
As we reflect on 185 years since the signing of the Treaty, we need to recognise that national unity and pride in our country are being undermined by tribal leaders. Driven by greed and self-interest, they are sabotaging race relations to destabilise society so they can seize control of the country. The sooner race and ethnicity are eliminated from our Statutes, the sooner they can no longer be used as weapons to divide and conquer New Zealand.
President Trump acknowledged the Inauguration was held on Martin Luther King Day: “In his honour, we will strive together to make his dream a reality” and he pledged: “We will forge a society that is colour blind and merit based.” That's essentially what our Coalition promised, but while they have made good progress, they still have a long way to go.
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