< October 2024 newsletter


Further news, views, and opinions..............

Please see more items posted on the Democracy Action Facebook page

UNCIVIL WAR - Unholy constitutional conflagration rages on in Aotearoa New Zealand

John McLean comments on the attacks on New Zealand democracy and Parliamentary supremacy. “The conflict is hot and will only get hotter. Figurative flames, ballistics and scalding hot air are blasting from multiple flues, in every direction. In all the hullabaloo, woo-woo, boo-hoo and utu, few have a clue about this attempted coup”.

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How does PM John Key’s legacy rate? (Waikanae Watch)

Author and former journalist and editor of several magazines, Tony Orman takes a scathing look at the John Key-led government, highlighting failures in financial management and breaches of democratic governance.

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Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Politicians need to lift their game (Democracy Project)

Jacqui Van Der Kaay, former journalist who holds a master’s degree in political science from Victoria University of Wellington, argues that the ongoing number and breadth of integrity issues across all political parties demands change. “Doing nothing will only cause voters’ trust in politicians and the institution they are part of to decline, along with voter participation, and this can only be bad for democracy in New Zealand”.

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The War on Words: a threat to democracy (Cranmer’s Substack)

Political commentator Philp Crump argues that excessive regulation of speech poses not only a risk to free expression but is also a threat to democracy itself.

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Hastings Gets it Wrong (Peter’s Substack)

Peter Williams comments on the undemocratic nature of the Hastings District Council decision to allow members of the Hastings Youth Council to vote on council committees.

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'Trust me: I know best.' (Free Speech Union)

The 2023 New Zealand Election Study, the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, and a report from StatsNZ, show that politicians and journalists have reached a new low in the public standing. Nick Hanne of the Free Speech Union writes that “This is a problem - democracy doesn't fare well when trust is at a deficit”.

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RELATED ARTICLES


More News, Views, Opinions ……..

Please see more items posted on the Democracy Action Facebook page DON BRASH: HIPKINS' DANGEROUS STATEMENT ON MĀORI NOT CEDING SOVEREIGNTY Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins stirred controversy by asserting that “Māori did not cede sovereignty” when signing the Treaty of Waitangi. Don Brash comments “New Zealand has operated as a unified nation under the Crown's sovereignty for more than 180 years. Hipkins’ claim that Māori did not cede sovereignty threatens our national unity and could undermine our legal and political system, creating divisions based on heritage where there should be none”. READ MORE   Continue reading

Further news, views, and opinions.......

Please see more items posted on the Democracy Action Facebook page Continue reading

Further news, views, and opinions.......

Please see further items posted on the Democracy Action Facebook page Continue reading

Further news, views, and opinions...

Please see further items posted on the Democracy Action Facebook page. Continue reading

Further news, views, opinions.......

Please see more posted on the Democracy Action Facebook page. ELIZABETH RATA: TWO TREATIES OF WAITANGI: THE ARTICLES TREATY AND THE PRINCIPLES TREATY Elizabeth Rata, a professor of education at the University of Auckland explains how parliament’s failure to define the principles of the Treaty has led to claims of co-governance rights. READ MORE Continue reading

News, views, opinions........

MARY-LOUISE KEARNEY: CO-GOVERNANCE - "IT’S THE VETO ISSUE, STUPID” Dr Mary Louise Kearney writes that very few people know about the veto aspect of co-governance or its significance because this is rarely mentioned by the media and politicians. “Whether negligent or deliberate, this helps fan the apathy of New Zealanders and their dangerous ignorance about co-governance (and similar major policy issues) overall”. READ MORE Continue reading

Further news, views, opinions...

ETHNO-NATIONALISM OR DEMOCRATIC-NATIONALISM: WHICH WAY AHEAD FOR NEW ZEALAND? PROFESSOR ELIZABETH RATA - Faculty of Education, University of Auckland (30 June 2021) “We will have to decide whether we want our future to be that of an ethno-nationalist state or a democratic-nationalist one. Ethno-nationalism has political categories based on racial classification – the belief that our fundamental identity (personal, social and political) is fixed in our ancestry. Here the past determines the future. Identity, too, is fixed in that past. In contrast, democratic-nationalism has one political category – that of citizenship – justified by the shared belief in a universal human identity”. READ MORE Continue reading

Recommended reading - ONE SUN IN THE SKY

‘ONE SUN IN THE SKY - The untold story of sovereignty and the Treaty of Waitangi’ by Ewen McQueen, presents an evidence-based perspective on the question of sovereignty and the Treaty of Waitangi.  Continue reading

Recommended literature on the Treaty of Waitangi

Please see below a short bibliography, (spanning 50 years), demonstrating that comprehensive literature exists which challenges the current political/cultural/academic “orthodoxy” of the history of New Zealand and its evolution. Professor Martin Devlin, author of the bibliography, explains "This orthodoxy is mainly based on presentist interpretations of the Treaty of Waitangi, continuously relayed in the New Zealand media, which, in turn, consistently fails to present alternative views. Much of this orthodoxy comprises personal opinions, myths and revised histories. This bibliography allows students to see that alternative views exist which challenge the 'orthodoxy'.”  Continue reading

April Recommended Reading

We've complied some recommended reading for the month of April. Continue reading

Dr John Robinson - searching for the truth

Recently we interviewed Dr. John Robinson, former university lecturer, and research scientist and prolific author of books about the historical development of New Zealand. Here he tells us what inspires him to search for the truth. Continue reading

More recommended reading

‘Dividing a Nation; the Return of Tikanga’ by John Robinson - available from Tross Publishing  It is important the issue of tikanga be known, discussed and debated. In his book, Dr Robinson writes about the introduction of tikanga into our laws and way of life, setting rules that determine the behaviour not just of Maori, but all New Zealanders. The appendix includes a list of legislation dividing New Zealanders. Continue reading

Recommended reading

Navigators and Naturalists – French exploration of New Zealand and the South Seas (1769 - 1824), by Michael Lee. Married and Gone to New Zealand, edited by Alison Drummond. Anyone interested in the truth about NZ history should read these books. Continue reading

This month's recommended reading

1. ‘Blood and Tears’, by Adam Plover  “New Zealand's history is being rewritten with a new narrative in favour of the ever-growing grievance industry. In the process real historical events are being swept under the carpet and out of sight if they get in the way of this new agenda. This book, based on facts alone and impeccably researched, tells of some of these long-buried events as they really happened”. Continue reading

Time for a good read?

With the summer break coming up for many of us, we have put together a list of recommended reading. (Hardly light entertainment, but enlightening!) Continue reading

Recommended reading

‘Drifting into racism, the destruction of New Zealand social structure’ by Dr John Robinson, the author of ‘The corruption of New Zealand democracy, a Treaty overview’, ‘When two cultures meet, the New Zealand experience’, and ‘The Kingite Rebellion’. Other articles by Dr Robinson can be accessed on the Kiwi Frontline Forum by clicking HERE. Continue reading

Recommended reading

‘The Treaty and its Times’, by Paul Moon and Peter Briggs, (Resource Books). Starting around 1800, this book moves to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and finishes with the Northland wars of 1845. You will find detail on how and why the Treaty was written, the robust debate around the signing, and its aftermath. An excellent reference book.

Recommended reading

Taking up the challenge from Mike Lee to become better informed about our history, please see below a list of suggestions from members of the Democracy Action working group: Continue reading

Bruce Moon debunks inflammatory claims

Two associate professors at Waikato University seized the opportunity they perceived in the tragedy in Christchurch to present what one of calls “colonial terror and violence since 1642”, and the other “Maori had been victims to acts of terrorism in Aotearoa in the past”. Continue reading

Democracy Under Threat

Challenging the lies and propaganda There is a need for all of us to challenge, as they arise, the growing number of baseless claims being touted as facts. NZCPR is a good source of information on the issues, by various authors, as is Kiwi Frontline. Continue reading