I'm a Nat for Equality

Some West Auckland Nats have set up a pressure group called NATFORT - Nats for the Treaty. They want to overturn existing National Party policy on the Treaty and return it to the existing 'PC' model.

The Treaty is a wonderful document - it promised Maori that they could keep undisturbed ownership over their property until they wanted to sell. It also promised that Maori would get the same protection and opportunities from the Crown as other New Zealanders. In return, the Crown got to establish Government in New Zealand.

I don't deny that the Crown broke it's end of the agreement - for over a century, Maori were excluded from opportunities. Land and other property was confiscated without compensation. It is totally appropriate that the Crown make an apology and return stolen property or make a monetary compensation when the property is no longer available.

But now it's time to honour the agreement. Government Agencies should treat all New Zealanders equally. As an example, it disturbs me that Workbrokers at WINZ get more performance 'points' for placing a Pacific Islander or Maori unemployed person than a non-Pacific Islander or Maori. This leads to some getting more resource - based on race, not need. (In this example, I'd assess every jobseeker and award performance points on how hard it is to place a jobseeker - e.g. a jobseeker with a degrees would earn less points than someone who dropped out of school not able to read.)

The other aspect is the removal of separate Maori Cultural and Development funding. Once again, I am comfortable with this. Most New Zealanders no longer identify with many British or European cultural traditions. We do appreciate New Zealand Culture, which Maori Culture is indelibly a major part - almost dominant. You just cannot class a Maori Meeting House, or a Poi Dance, or a traditional Maori Sculpture as being less culturally significant to New Zealand than a 'Swan Lake' ballet or a 'Braying Portaloo'.

Once again, money for Development is something I am comfortable with being not being separate. Some communities have high needs in education, health or housing. The idea that a non-Maori who lives in Cannons Creek or Tologa Bay deserve less funding in these areas than their next door neighbour (all other things being equal) is absurbed.

New Zealanders believe in everyone having a fair go. The NATFORT group should stand for that, not a return to inequality based on race.