Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Maori led by losers?
Alan Duff used his platform at the Act Welfare Symposium to launch a stinging attack on Maori Leadership. There's nothing like gross generalisations and sweeping accusations to dent your own credibility - but some of his points did need making. From Stuff:
Organised by ACT deputy leader Muriel Newman, the conference was about getting people off welfare into work, and Duff's brief was to speak on how welfare was destroying Maori.I think there is something in what Duff is saying, but to call Maori leadership in general "losers" is going a bit far. The point that did resonate with My Right is how the media and Moari constantly talk down Maori, constantly emphasis negative statistics and generally do their best to tell Maori that they are all victims.
But in an off-the-cuff speech that matched his strongest past outbursts against Maori leadership, Duff said the issue was not so much welfare reform as reform of Maori losers.
"You don't know how the blame is being shifted on to you," he said to the 100-strong audience. "By shifting the blame on to white people and on to anyone but themselves, their problems continue to worsen.
"Everyone's too afraid to say it's the Maoris that are the problem."
Duff said Maori radio stations carried "an endless parade of losers" blaming Pakeha for their problems.
I am not saying that this is completely self fulfilling prophecy - but it can't help. Many of the most successful Maori achieve their success via mainstream institutions and without targeted assistance. Many Maori organisations are working marvelously to support their own communities (the new facility at what was Athletic Park being case in point).
There is no doubt that there are issues when measuring Maori 'problems' against largely European standards and benchmarks - but My Right just wishes that these numbers were not consistently used to explain and excuse future failings.
We know the numbers, we know the issues, Mr Duff, some solutions now please.
