There is no doubt  New Zealand’s democracy is now under aggressive attack by the small minority of those of part-Maori descent long demanding not just the legal right to co-govern –  but Maori sovereignty over this country. 

The basis for their completely unsubstantiated claim is that the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi established “a partnership” between scores of disparate, warring Maori tribal groups and the Crown. In spite of this being nonsense, and legally impossible, this claim has long been advanced by those obsessively fanning the flames of the grievance industry – while claiming financial disadvantage.  

Yet the Maori economy is now worth $68 billion largely as a result of taxpayers’ pockets continually raided over these decades to settle both genuine — and now in many cases — highly dubious claims. But when is enough ever enough for those wedded to obsessive resentment and injured mana (pride)? 

Far from establishing any “partnership”,  the treaty gave the Crown the right to govern New Zealand,  equally representing the interests of all New Zealanders, both Maori and European. It was welcomed by many chiefs for its potential to stop constant internecine warfare and the practice of cannibalism. Moreover, for the first time, all tribes were now guaranteed title to — possession of, their own land — as well as the safeguarding of their taonga, material possessions they owned.  

However, in the hands of manipulative extremists, the small sector of radicalised part-Maoris, by no means representing the majority,  and, culpably,  too often supported by the shamefully undemocratic Waitangi Tribunal  (well described as “a Star Chamber”)  the meaning of taonga has been conveniently reinvented to claim Maori-only ownership of New Zealand’s coasts and sea beds, fisheries, riparian water rights, all natural resources, plants, hot springs, airwaves,  the language, spiritual beliefs,  intellectual property rights and radio frequencies, plus the requirement for the government (i.e all New Zealanders)  to pay for a Maori television channel with much of its content in English. 

Supposedly guaranteed by the treaty? All this fabricated nonsense has been shamefully handled with kid gloves by successive governments anxious for “the Maori vote” promised in return. Yet now, planned co-governance of this country by these part-Maori agitators (ironically many of largely European descent) is underway. Such co-governance, in some areas with Maori rights over non-Maori, is to be monitored by a tribal compliance committee overseen by the United Nations. Needless to say, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is firmly on board. 

What has happened to us? For example, it beggars belief that such ritual obeisance is paid to superior Maori cultural values that  $11,742.31 was recently spent transporting a dead leatherback turtle to Wellington, storing it in a freezer for 21 months, before sending it back to where it washed up. It received a taxpayer-funded helicopter ride and a handmade coffin made by public servants. 

Needless to say, a Ngai Tahu representative was upset he wasn’t told about the turtle:  he had a sense of grief and sadness that they didn’t have the opportunity to grieve for their tipuna (ancestor)... Equally bizarre is taxpayers having to pay for its storage and return for “a decent burial”… a fully-catered reception and powhiri (Maori welcome).    

Arguably, New Zealand now is also due for a decent burial — given we are losing so much of what our forebears even gave their lives for.