Sunday, February 01, 2004
Thanks Dr Janine, now I know (sort of)
Kiwi Pundit has helpfully defined the principles of The Treaty for me, however, there was a nagging suspicion that it hadn't come from an official sources. The alarms bells were ringing as soon as I read it, it was succinct, clear and essentially sensible - so official it was not.
A quick visit to the Waitangi Tribunal website confirmed my suspicions. In 1989 the then Labour Government issued the following "Government Satements of Principles of the Treaty" (this document prepared by Dr Janine Hayward is well worth a read, but head to page 493 if 20 pages doesn't appeal).
One passage reads; "(c) The principle of equality: Article 3 constitutes a guarantee of legal equality between Maori and other citizens of New Zealand. This means that all New Zealand citizens are equal before the law. Furthermore, the common law system is selected by the Treaty as the basis for that equality, although human rights accepted under international law are also incorporated. Article 3 has an important social significance in the implicit assurance that social rights would be enjoyed equally by Maori with all New Zealand citizens of whatever origin. Special measures to attain that equal enjoyment of social benefits are allowed by international law."
There, simple - apparently we are all to be equal before the law. Quite simply, right now, we are not. The current Government is taking the idea of special measures to attain the equal enjoyment of social benefits to its absolute extreme. Helen's quote in the Star Times that "I want Kiwis to be treated equally. But that may mean different ways of delivery to different communities" is politician speak at its academically arrogantly snobbish worst. It don't fool me Helen, if you insist on race based policy, say so and be judged.
I am not reading too much into the results of the somewhat questionable Star Times 'shock poll' yet - but keep sleeping easy Helen, I am starting to sleep a little easier as well.
