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Nelson’s Deputy Mayor, Rohan O’Neill-Stevens |
It pays to be Maori. To discover a whakapapa, carry a tokotoko, get a greenstone pendant round your neck, a tattoo on your chin and pronouns in the plural. And Marxist ideas. It's all getting Nelson's queer deputy-mayor Rohan O'Neill-Stevens noticed. 'They' think it's perfectly fine to walk all over the New Zealand flag on the floor at Nelson's once-prestigious Suter Gallery.
In recent years, there's been a noticeable trend in New Zealand's political landscape. More and more people are identifying as Maori, including some who don't fit the traditional image.
Whether this marks a long-overdue recognition of whakapapa or a calculated political move depends on your perspective, but the pattern is hard to miss.
Robertson, Ardern and Hipkins - merged the Polytechs and created this chaos
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Take Nelson’s Deputy Mayor, Rohan O’Neill-Stevens, for example. At just 24, he has attracted attention not only for his youth and rapid rise but also for his claim to Māori and European ancestry, with links to Ngāti Apakura. On the surface, it’s a respectful nod to his heritage. But it’s fair to ask whether his political trajectory would have looked the same without that aspect of his identity
O’Neill-Stevens appears Pākehā - like really Pākeha. That doesn’t mean he isn’t Māori, but it does raise questions in a time where identity plays a major role in how people are perceived, especially in politics and media.
The way media outlets frame his story shows just how powerful identity has become. One headline reads: “Young tāne Māori puts his hand up to lead storm-battered Nelson Council”, clearly highlighting his Māori roots. At the same time, woke platforms like The Spinoff focus on other aspects of who he is, with pieces like “What it’s like to be a queer person in local politics.”
O'Neill-Stevens with Chloe Swarbrick who also thought walking over the flag was a Good Thing
O’Neill-Stevens himself has said that he returned to Nelson after studying, only to find little progress on key issues like housing and climate change. He said the situation “viscerally pissed [him] off” and that none of the existing candidates at the time inspired him or represented the communities he connects with.
It’s clear he’s passionate. But there’s also a finely tuned narrative at work here, one that speaks directly to younger, progressive voters. Today, political advantage often comes from ticking identity boxes. That reality should give us pause.
A Maori viewer at the Suter had the mahi to hang the flag up |
Destiny Church Nelson member, Ruth Tipu |
This isn’t to say that O’Neill-Stevens lacks talent or belief in what he’s doing. But we should be cautious about how easily identity can become a kind of political currency. It’s worth asking whether people are being rewarded more for who they are perceived to be than for what they have actually done.
Heritage and whakapapa should be respected, not leveraged. If we reduce identity to a strategic label, we risk undermining the very people and histories we claim to support.
True representation matters. But when identity starts becoming the main qualification, we all lose something important.https://matuakahurangi.com/p/when-being-a-little-bit-maori-becomes
An additional $60m of ring-fenced funding for Maori Medium and Kaupapa Maori Education property, which will deliver up to 50 new classrooms to support the network, providing access to immersion schooling for approximately an additional 1,100 konga.
First, tamariki Maori must thrive at home
The Government is delivering over $100 million in investment through Budget 2025 to ensure more tamariki Māori thrive at school.
“This Government is firmly committed to properly resourcing our bilingual education system and lifting achievement for Māori students. Our Budget 25 investment delivers on the commitments through our Māori Education Action Plan, which takes a practical approach to strengthening outcomes for ākonga Māori,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.
This investment encompasses:
- $10 million to launch a new Virtual Learning Network (VLN) for STEM education (Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics) subjects in Kaupapa Māori and Māori Medium education settings, addressing the shortage of qualified STEM teachers proficient in both subject matter and te reo Māori. This will fund 15 kaiako to deliver online STEM education to up to 5,577 Year 9-13 ākonga.
- $4.5 million to develop comprehensive new te reo matatini and STEM curriculum resources and teacher supports for approximately 2,000 Year 9–13 learners in Kaupapa Māori and Māori Medium education. For the first time ever, students will be able to study Shakespeare, international literature, and iconic New Zealand works, including The Bone People entirely in te reo Māori.
- $2.1 million to develop a new Māori Studies subject for Years 11–13, offering students to deepen their understanding of Māori cultural practices, narratives, knowledge, and language. This new learning area will be developed byMātauranga Māori experts and will support learners to grow their knowledge of Māori culture, narratives, philosophies, Mātauranga and language.
co-governance rampant |
- $14 million into training and support for up to 51,000 teachers/kaiako in Years 0-13 schools to learn te reo Māori and tikanga as appropriate benefiting over 560,000 students.
- An additional $60m of ring-fenced funding for Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori Education property, which will deliver up to 50 new classrooms to support the network, providing access to immersion schooling for approximately an additional 1,100 ākonga.
- $4.8 million to appoint seven new curriculum advisors for Kaupapa Māori and Māori medium education to support kaiako in implementing the redesigned Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, including Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā, Poutama Pāngarau, and Hihira Weteoro, benefiting over 27,000 ākonga.
- $4.1 million to support the sustainability and data capability of the Kohanga Reo Network.
3 year-old Catalya Pepene needed a proper family, not kohanga reo |
- $3.5 million to support WAI 3310 Waitangi Tribunal Education Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry.
“Each of these investments aim to drive student achievement for our tamariki Maōri so they thrive in the classroom. The Budget 2025 Māori education package delivered alongside investments support every child so they get the very best start and grow the New Zealand of the future”.
The Ascension of Christ by Garofalo |
ReplyDeleteFollow the money trail......".If Pakeha are dumb enough to keep on giving - Maori will keep on taking,,,,,"
ReplyDeleteWell said.
ReplyDeleteYou only need a nod from a great great grandparent to get on the gravy train
Eileen Kelly
DeleteKaren Crosbie Yep!? Those package deal$ - tax payer fund$ inclusive.
ReplyDeleteFree education , lower pass rate thresholds, preferential course entry, highest drop out rates. Not my treaty partner , just a blight on the country
ReplyDeleteAnother 100 mil will go a long way towards entrenching more layabouts and wannabes into the black hole of victimhood…it’s very sad…for them and for the rest of the population who will have to fund it.
ReplyDeleteTotal 'attention seekers'.....$100 million won't change their attitude
ReplyDeleteThis is just setting the scene for a Seymour weighted parliament next election. Alternatively, a Luxon/Hipkins grand coalition as they through life jackets to one another.
ReplyDeleteErica Stanford will need Piha rescue to save her from being thrown onto the rocks.$100 million for maori education.What's that going to do for our country ?
DeletePaul Clemo Sweet F A, as ever.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it about Nelson?
DeleteRichard Pykett Might have something to do with the Quakers. "Quakers came to New Zealand as early as the 1770s. Sydney Parkinson, James Cook's natural historian and artist, was a member of the Society of Friends. Nelson is the home of New Zealand's first Quaker Meeting House."
ReplyDeleteAnother nail in our coffin ⚰️ so far away from the proud country NZ used to be where we were all equal and you worked hard to improve your life for your family and our lives 😣
Will McCee
ReplyDeleteOnly thing missing in your how to is BRAINS a rare commodity in the Maori community with the number days they dont attend schools but they sure know how to mimic & follow orders
ReplyDeleteThe law should be 50% or more
DeleteChris Olsen look at Willie Jackson he has More Chinese blood than Maori blood but to top that has more Jewish blood also than Maori blood ?
DeleteChris Olsen there shouldn't be a law at all. The law should be colour-blind and make no distinctions in regard to race.
ReplyDeleteWhat an embarrassment ...
ReplyDeleteAll maori are only a little bit maori.
ReplyDeleteFollowing this trend, maori will have 0% maori blood in 30 years
ReplyDeleteJust not sure how Cabinet Ministers can stop Maoris killing children? Doesn’t seem to matter how much money is thrown at them.
It’s usually some de facto relationship, dodgy partner. Children are obviously expendable & not treasured in their society. Just make another one with the next guy! ‘Oops how did that happen!’
Change has to come from within.
DeleteHelen McFarlane it's almost always a de facto relationship. Children born to married parents are rarely subject to this frightful abuse.
DeleteHelen McFarlane govt should pass it on to iwi. Their people, their problem. They want their own govt, so let them prove they can do it. I certainly won't hold my breath
ReplyDeleteThat would require a new committee To have an account to put the $100 Million in and it will never be seen again.
ReplyDeleteI have nightmares that we are becoming like South Africa.
DeleteAntz Medici Be war before then .
DeleteJohn van Duyvenbooden Yes John i think you are right. Frightening.
DeleteAntz Medici There choice there chances arent good .
ReplyDeleteMy Daughter is from the Waitaha bloodline. You should see how angry people get over that.
ReplyDeleteJulia du Fresne, what is the solution to all this racial division? How can this be rolled back in the sense that we are all kiwis?
ReplyDeleteA career in benefit scamming
ReplyDeleteHe was groomed by the same international school of future political leaders as jabinda, he went to Karlos Schwab and is part of the agenda 2030 authority in NZ.
He was picked by a scout at Nelson boys college, a teacher there.
He's 100% WEF agenda 2030 unsustainable.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it about Nelson?
DeleteRichard Pykett Might have something to do with the Quakers. "Quakers came to New Zealand as early as the 1770s. Sydney Parkinson, James Cook's natural historian and artist, was a member of the Society of Friends. Nelson is the home of New Zealand's first Quaker Meeting House."
DeleteNZ's least ethnically diverse City...
DeleteRichard Pykett the Nelson City Council is apparently working hard to change that.
ReplyDeleteTime for a civil war. Sort the men out from the queers