It’s a portfolio mix we haven’t seen before. A Minister holding both the Foreign Affairs and Local Government portfolios. Some unkind people might say Mahuta was given the portfolios as a sop to Maoridom. That she was an inherently lazy person trading on her links to Kingitanga and someone who would always defer to departmental bureaucracy.
It appears not with her decision announced yesterday that the government would move, under urgency, to repeal statute proving for a local poll to test any decision by a local body to establish separate Maori only wards.
No matter that the manifesto the Labour Party went to the country with was silent on the issue. No matter the move is being rammed through under urgency bypassing the normal legislative process.
You can fairly ask what other matters that weren’t covered off in Labour’s election manifesto are now waiting in the wings now that the government effectively enjoys unbridled power.
New Zealand … the way you’ve got it.
No Minister 
The (so called) Maori Caucus flexing its muscle.
The worrying thing is that there is no evidence of strength, over 3 plus years, in the leadership of Labour to keep them under control. Frightening.
This will result in additional obstacles to council business and only benefit politicians, bureaucrats and those members of the special interest group who will be “properly consulted”. It never benefits the members of the public that it claims to help.
Are you trying to tell me Veteran that the 5th National Government only introduced policies and legislation that they had discussed with the Electorate in their manifestoes and in the context of an election campaign?
Not so – they did Labour’s dirty work for them – and now they are in the wildnerness where they belong
You obviously have military connections judging by your name and poppy symbol. But I am little concerned that your views which are nationalistic and are right of center are being enabled and given authenticity by a RSA poppy.
Everybody is entitled to an opinion but members of the RSA .who owns the copyright, don’t always subscribe to your point of view so you do not represent them. This is of particular concern as you are sharing a platform with far right bloggers who are straight out of the cast of Wacky Races.
Tony … the poppy is a symbol of sacrifice and a reminder that people fought for the right to live in a free society where one can express their views and have them debated. Nothing more, nothing less … I’ve been using the poppy for years as a reminder that honoring their sacrifice is not just limited to ANZAC and Remembrance Days and as this is my blog I’ll continue to do so.
Yep, I’m right of centre. It’s a badge I’m happy to wear. As for the more wacky (Andrei et al) … they too are entitled to argue the toss from inside their own little bubbles although one suspects their continued obfuscation and thread-jacking serves only to dent their credibility.
Andrei … as usual your visceral hatred for National has you making excuses for Labour. Of course Labour has the right to do what it is proposing to do although it would have helped if they had been honest enough to foreshadow it in their manifesto. But the real issue is that they are doing it under urgency using their super majority to force it through bypassing the normal legislative process and, as I said, one can fairly ask what other surprises await. Parliament is effectively now Labour’s cypher …. think on that.
But I guess that doesn’t bother you because by accident or design you have become one of Jacinda’s little enablers.
Vet the obvious reason Labour did not include it in their manifesto as they had no expectation or comprehension that they would be in full control.
In that regard they knew their best mates Winston First would not countenance such undemocratic bullshit.
I am not making excuses for Labour and I don’t have a visceral hatred for National – I am angry at them for not being a viable alternative to Labour.
Whichever party holds the treasury benches the same Godless agenda is advanced…
The Davros types are now openly talking of “the great reset” and you and I are no more than herd animals under that schema.
Neither Labour nor National are going to stand up to preserve human liberty, dignity and personal autonomy,
Watched the sheepies scanning their Covid app at the supermarket today and wondered hpw long it will be before we are all microchipped and scanned to see if our innoculations are up to date, we don’t have any outstanding tax liabilities and haven’t exceeded our emmisions quota for the month…
Andrei … if it walks like a duck, has feathers and quacks then it probably is a duck. As for your comment about the ‘sheeple’ scanning their Covid app and I guess that defines you as a fully paid up member of the flat earth society …. and possibly an anti-vaxer to boot.
It may come as a shock but along with personal liberty comes responsibility … to yourself, your family, the community, the nation … not that you appear to care. Figures.
For myself I prefer being in the tent pissing out and the other way round.
Vet I wouldn’t accuse Andrei of not having personal responsibility. Its just a different view of how that should be applied.
I agree with him, its hilarious watching the earnest little people scanning if their lives depend on it, in a flu free environment. The nearest case is locked down in a hotel somewhere in Auckland. But it certainly trains them to be compliant and not actually think.
Thirty years ago they tossed out first past the post system to stop anyone party introducing its agenda and progressing like Labour and Roger Douglas. Thirty years on they all voted Labour to stop the Green menance.
It didn’t seem to occur to them there might be a Labour menace, or if there was one it would be benign.
Voting Act or National to provide a bulwark didnt seem to enter the minds of these people. We might as well return to first past the post.
Personally I think its a very stupid move on behalf of the part time PM. The country has cruised along thru its summer holidays so why make a contentious move like this for little gain but tremendous downside.
Surely the woman has learnt that the best approach for her is to do nothing?
`Surely the woman has learnt that the best approach for her is to do nothing?’
Rossco – one or more of the following reasons so take your pick.
1. She is too thick to recognise the danger.
2. She has an ideological agenda to pursue.
3. The (so called) Labour Maori Caucus has taken control.
PDM I hate multi choice, can I pick all 3?
I suspect I would weight my choice 50% on option 1 and 25% each on 2 and 3.
I hate descrimination which ever it is weighted.
Let’s have some Chinese wards…will be good training for the future
Fair point Tony.
Here’s an alternative which is licenced for individual use.
http://clipart-library.com/clipart/146730.htm