Editor's choice of recently published news, views, and opinions that may be of interest.
Bid for co-governance on forestry reforms, felled at High Court
Te Ao Maori news
An urgent bid by Māori forestry interests to delay the release of a government discussion document on reforming the carbon market has been rejected by the High Court.
Te Taumata, a trade group representing forestry, among other businesses had sought an interim order to prevent the crown announcing reforms to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), claiming that the government had failed to fulfil its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and engage meaningfully with Māori, in-line with responsibilities around co-governance.
Exiting the constitutional rabbit hole
Barrie Saunders
Very well-intentioned politicians, judges and others have taken NZ down into a Treaty rabbit hole, from which few know how to exit, without creating more social divisions. The modern interpretations of the Maori version of Treaty have set aside a common understanding of a few decades ago, and there is now heaps of anxiety and aggravation.
We face the reality that some iwi leaders, academics and others, think the Treaty created a “partnership” between the Crown and Maori leaders, and they should have equal say in the governance of the country, even though the terms “partnership” was not in any version.
“Co-governance for your deck!”
Graham Adams
After a Budget that failed to excite voters and a lacklustre party conference where his senior colleagues faintly praised him for his proletarian taste in food, the very last thing Chris Hipkins needs is a light shone on the vexed topic of co-governance.
Tyranny of the Minority
Dr Muriel Newman
The shock defection of the Labour Cabinet Minister Meka Whaitiri, the MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, to the Maori Party caught the Prime Minister and her former colleagues by surprise. They were blind-sided, admitting they had no idea she was thinking of leaving the Party.
Her decision to ditch Labour, without the courtesy of even notifying the Prime Minister, has been widely condemned as disrespectful.
Debating one person, one vote is not being a racist
David Seymour
By accusing me of "straight-out racism" in my "unmistakable clarion call to everyone who thinks Māori are getting too much", Simon Wilson stumbles haplessly.
In fact, if his column (Seymour stokes culture war, July 12) were a book, the title would be: Race Relations Debate Mistakes For Dummies.
First up, believing in one-person-one-vote democracy does not make you racist.