NO FORGIVING IWI BOSSES WHO DON'T FORGIVE

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The lawyers and iwi bosses growing "fat and frisky and stout" on Te Tiriti (as it behoves us to call the Treaty of Waitangi) need reminding that there's no forgiveness for those who don't forgive.  

"And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts" (Mt 18:35).

Isn't it long past time that New Zealand's Catholic bishops preached on the spiritual need for Māori - and Pakeha - to forgive and forget? Because for one thing there is absolutely no evidence that ordinary Māori benefit from the largesse expended by the Waitangi Tribunal (actually the taxpayers). Quite the opposite: your median Māori continues to worsen materially in comparison with Pakeha, while Māori like MP Waititi can strut in flash hats and tats.

It's all got a bit much for radio and Tv jock Mike Hosking, who's an unknown quantity to those who eschew the MSM, but apparently - unlike most of his peers - he's not cowed by the gummint (or gummint press secretaries, who've got way too much for Karl du Fresne, but that's another story.

Mike Hosking

It is widely accepted by those who follow such matters that the Waitangi Tribunal has become wildly activist.

It is now, without question, a brilliant example of a decent idea gone horribly awry.

As Anthony Albanese struggles to drum up support for his voice vote, which will almost certainly fail, he has looked here. In fact, many people have looked to New Zealand and our attempts over what now is many decades to rectify past wrongs.

(In October, voters will decide whether they support the enshrinement of an Indigenous voice to parliament in the constitution, the culmination of years of campaigning by Aboriginal groups for recognition.) 

Ironically, history increasingly shows the Governments that have made the most progress have been National ones.

Yes, we used to be a world-beater in terms of race equality. It hasn't taken long for socialism to deprive New Zealand of that well-earned reputation.

Chris Finlayson of late and Doug Graham before him made major inroads into settlements, whereas the current Labour Government, like so much of what they do, amounts to little.

Speaking of little - Andrew Little, who is in charge of treaty matters, admits as much.

The Dishonorable Mr Little would probably prefer to sweep the Treaty under the rug, as he has done with the abortion statistics which are now hidden from public view.

Anyway, the tribunal in their latest report tells the Crown off for not funding Māori adequately so they can make their claims.

They've already been funded, in finalised settlements, $2.24 billion.  

What makes the tribunal so activist is this sort of statement and the thinking behind it is par for the course. What is adequate?

And given the system is invented, you have always needed a quid pro quo approach. What is a just settlement? Is it money, is it an apology, is it land or is it all three?

Every case is individual.

But somewhere along the way it's spiralled out of control. It's become an industry as individual lawyers have made millions. The tribunal seems intent on being here forever dealing with historic claims despite, if you remember, under Jim Bolger's Government there was an attempt to put a timeline on it all.

That logic, by the way, still applies given its not far off 50-years-old. Surely at some point the historic claims should be registered and settled. Just how long do you need to want to rectify something you argue went wrong over 180 years ago?

 

When men believed in God

How many lawyers, how much research, how much funding?

Treaty settlements: Highest paid Crown negotiators

From July 2006 and February 2018

 From the 2006-07 financial year until February 2018, 20 private law firms were paid $17.4m.

Buddle Findlay earned the most at just over $8m, followed by Greenwood Roche ($5.3m) and Wellington barrister Wendell Slatter ($2m).

Payments to Crown Law and its representatives came in at $41.5m over the 11-year period.https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/103443983/tens-of-millions-of-dollars-is-going-to-treaty-of-waitangi-negotiators-and-lawyers

The path to ratification has been open since the mid 70s and we are still scrapping over funding for claims. Surely boundaries have to be drawn and timelines have to be put in place?

Part of the reason the voice vote will fail in Australia is not because it's not the right thing to do, but because Albanese hasn’t explained properly what he is trying to do.

(In October, voters will decide whether they support the enshrinement of an Indigenous voice to parliament in the constitution, the culmination of years of campaigning by Aboriginal groups for recognition: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/24/australia-indigenous-voice-referendum-global-explainer).

But also, if you look over here at a model of how to do it, it would put the frighteners up you.

Agreed. But let's not assume that Australian aboriginals are as susceptible to venal troublemakers as Māori have shown themselves to be.  

Good intention is one thing.

A runaway train is another.

Thou hast forgotten the God that bore thee, didst not think of the Lord Who created thee 

- Deuteronomy 32:18

The Last Supper by Da Vinci 
God as pictured in just about every Catholic dining room in the States, they say