By John Minto
It is heartening to note that despite the government’s best attempts to enact their usual tactics of division, Māori are looking to collaborate and engage more widely. The challenge will be to open this up even further and engage all iwi, hapū and marae; to keep it going through to a widely determined and accepted decision; and to refuse to cave to government demands as to timing and the lure of exclusive deals.
This week Maori meet to discuss water rights and the future of asset sales despite the government's attempts to shut down dialogue and discussion at every step. It is interesting to see what this government thinks is free when they are trying to take it.
MANA asks those New Zealanders who are anti-asset sales and who are watching this battle from the sidelines to join us because this Treaty that we are upholding is your Treaty as well. As the original inhabitants of this country, Maori hold all these assets in trust for all of New Zealand, this fight only began when John Key attempted to take that which had been gifted for all to sell for private interest.
This issue has only come to a head because Key has tried to sell our collective assets, rightwing rhetoric that Maori want to take the water are as ignorant as they are misplaced.
Maori don't want to take the water and the wind, they want to stake out their interests because John Key has forced the issue by trying to sell off our collectively owned assets.
The Maori Party's ongoing Stockholm syndrome is keeping them from finding the voice to tell the National Party, 'enough'. What is the point of sitting at the table if John Key has burnt the table?
Honour the Treaty is as relevant to Pakeha not wanting to see their economic sovereignty sold as it is to Maori. We have one of the most historic levels of inequality recorded with 270 000 children living in poverty, now is not the time to impoverish the 99% further while the 1% John Key truly represents gains more.
That isn't good for Maori, Pakeha, Pacifica or Asian NZ. This issue impacts each and everyone of us and it is time for NZers to see what binds us rather than separates us and our connection to the land and assets we all own is a great place to start.