NZ'S (BARELY) UNDECLARED CIVIL WAR

 

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New Zealand is now at war with itself. We are in a state of (barely) undeclared civil war. It's exactly what one humble blogger feared on election night when the success of Te Pati Maori and its trouble-makers Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi became apparent. 

This morning the nation was brought to a standstill by thousands (reportedly, but we know how accurate is the reportage) turning out in protest against the newly-elected government's intention to return New Zealand to a democracy where no one holds spurious privilege by claim to a drop or two of Maori blood. 

"For in their mouth there is no truth; their heart is full of mischief"(Ps 3). The liars at Te Pati Maori call such policies "anti-Maori" - and the Public Service Association agrees.

The PSA invited all its 80,000 workers today to take the day off "to protest and be politically active on National Maori Action Day.https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/live-updates-te-pati-maori-mass-protests-auckland-s-motorway-network-to-face-

This reeks of treason - and the media are sooling the combatants on. Reading their highly emotive prose it's hard to escape the conclusion that they are drumming up radical, socialist - not to say Marxist - opposition to New Zealand's democratically-elected government. Look at the free advertising (below) given Te Pati Maori by just one news outlet, NewstalkZB:

Kia ora! Across the country today, crowds are gathering for mass nationwide protests - signalled by Te Pāti Māori as possibly one of many this parliamentary term.

If you're just joining us now, here's what you need to know:

• Thousands have gathered across multiple cities and towns for the mass protest called by Te Pāti Māori party.

• The hīkoi causes gridlock across Auckland’s motorway network this morning.

• Police officers have been deployed across districts ahead of the protest. The protests have so far been peaceful. No arrests have been made.

• Whangārei organisers expected 30 people at their protest - 600 showed up.
  

• More than 1000 people marched from Aurora Bridge to Parliament in Wellington.
  

• Te Pāti Māori Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer says hikoi a strong message to Christopher Luxon
  

• Crowds gathered at multiple locations across the country, including main centres such as Whangārei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Hastings and Wellington.

Two people have been arrested in Auckland this morning as Te Pāti Māori protests brought peak-hour traffic to a standstill with thousands turning out against Government policies labelled “anti-Māori”.

Police say an estimated 300 cars participated in Auckland during the protest which was “peaceful and the vast majority of groups dispersed relatively quickly”.

Notice the police falling over themselves to be nice and kind here, just as they were to the 'PRO-CHOICE' protestors who sat all over Lambton Quay, obstructing the March for Life on Saturday.  

A spokesperson said the first arrest was made near Esmonde Rd on the Northern Motorway after a vehicle failed to stop for police. The vehicle was also impounded. A second arrest came when a woman near Orams Rd on the Southern Motorway for disorderly behaviour on the motorway.

Further south, the Waikato Expressway suffered a 3km backlog after being blocked by approximately 50 cars. This had a “significant impact on traffic”, police said.

Areas such as Hamilton City, Whakatāne, Rotorua, Tokoroa, Taupō and Palmerston North also held gatherings of around 100 people each, and minimal disruption occurred.

A large truck in Tauranga blocked a lane on Hewletts Rd due to the protester’s safety concerns, however, police arranged for the truck to be moved and made clear that using a vehicle to block the road in this way was not acceptable.

Most of the convoys have now dispersed and traffic has returned to normal, although a crowd of about 200 remained at Māngere Bridge at 10am with Bob Marley’s Get Up Stand Up playing through loudspeakers.

Earlier, protesters parked along the motorway in Albany, “barricading” in motorists, while State Highway 3 in Whanganui was blocked by protesters walking slowly along the highway, flying flags and playing music. A protester said on TikTok that they were walking towards the Whanganui courthouse and had plans to speak to the judge.

In Wellington, 1000 protesters gathered on Parliament grounds, where Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer addressed the crowd.

There was also widespread congestion around Tauranga, where protests reduced SH2 Hewletts Rd to one lane.

 

Takuta Ferris during his swearing-in 

Meanwhile, at Parliament, the nation was highly edified by the spectacle of Te Pati Maori MPs at their swearing-in:

 

The Parliament was officially opened on Tuesday, and it was a taster of the thrilling political scene we are set to see this term.  

Can we not sense the media licking their lips?  

Te Pati Māori MPs swore allegiance to the Treaty of Waitangi and mokopuna - or children - before the traditional oath.   

It was a continuation of a day of protest that saw action across the country with Māori gathering to stand up against the policies of the new Government.   

Democracy began at dawn in its purest form: people power. There were pistols drawn on shirts all across Aotearoa. It was a mobilisation of Māori against the coalition on motorways, on bridges, on streets.   

In Wellington, they marched to the heart of power - Parliament - to send a message through haka and waiata.   

The 54th Parliament was officially opened, with the judges entering one by one. Each MP swore an oath of allegiance. Some clutched bibles, others copies of the Treaty, and there was also a family tree. ACT leader David Seymour swore on the Bill of Rights Act.  

 

Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke - ah, what's with the double-barrelled double-barrelling?

The Prime Minister received a gentle ribbing from his opposition for his prior mispronunciation of heirs as hairs.  

But it was Te Pati Māori which stole the show with haka and waiata in the House.  

They swore their own oaths.

Te Pati Māori MPs swore allegiance to the Treaty of Waitangi and mokopuna - or children - before the traditional oath.   

 

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi 

"I swear that I will be faithful and bear full allegiance to our mokopuna," said co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.   

"Exercise my rights in accordance with Te Tiriti o Waitangi," said co-leader Rawiri Waititi.   

 

The Māori Party eventually took the oath of allegiance - to "Kingi Harehare".   

Interestingly, Harehare also means offensive or skin rash.   

"They are trying to make fun of the transliteration Hare, which if said as harehare is kind of a transliteration of Charlie, but it also means something objectionable," said New Zealand First MP Shane Jones.   

Te Pati Māori organised the people protest and carried out their own parliamentary one, with decidedly mixed reaction.  

"It would be awesome to see the oath changed," said Greens co-leader Marama Davidson.   

"We swore our own oath, how we think an oath should be sworn in Aotearoa," said Waititi. "It should reflect Ti Tiriti o Waitangi, but there also should be a commitment to our mokopuna. That's exactly what you hear today was a commitment to upholding the mana of our mokopuna." 

Te Pati Maori are a law unto themselves.    

"I actually think it's narcissism," said Seymour. "It's all about them when everyone else can be respectful of the institution they have worked hard to be elected to. I did notice that after all the theatrics, they still swore allegiance and signed up to make sure they get paid."  

Labour's Willie Jackson said Seymour can "jump in a lake".   

"I love living rent-free in his mind," said Waititi of Seymour.   

 

The Greens' swearing-in: someone asked why did they all dress like rapists? Another comment: "nothing speaks resistance like a lanyard" 

Jones wasn't impressed with Te Pāti Māori's actions in the House, calling them "excessive".    

"It is preposterous that the Māori Party should think that they are the authentic voice for Māori New Zealanders. I remind everyone again that party got less than 3 percent of the vote and a lot of their party voters were not Māori, a lot of them were hippies." 

Te Pati Māori had one last trick up their sleeve as National moved to elect Gerry Brownlee as Speaker. Debbie Ngarewa-Packer nominated her own - the former Speaker Adrian Rurawhe. But he didn't accept. 

Brownlee beat the odds and partook in the tradition of being dragged to the chair. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/12/te-pati-m-ori-swearing-in-during-parliament-opening-was-taster-of-thrilling-political-scenes-to-come.html  

 Go here - Don Brash <hello@hobsonspledge.nz> - to sign a letter to PM Christopher Luxon affirming your support for his government and its policies and urging him to stand firm on his commitments.

Blessed Bartholomew Fanti, Carmelite (Dec 5)


Blessed Bartholomew Fanti, please pray for New Zealand