And the fact that Maori still seem to strongly support Maori seats suggests to me that they are not ready for this.

And they never will be wtl. Andrea Tunks has repeated that in law lectures at Auckland Uni for years and years. Irrespective of their attitude the law should be the same for maori, pakeha, korean et al.

First, despite the Treaty having no formal legal status, it has been accorded a kind of constitutional status because it gave legitimacy to the British Crown in New Zealand.

Second, the Government would be dealing with indigenous law issues whether there was a Treaty of Waitangi or not. Australia is proof of that. There were no treaties in Australia, as there were in North America, South Africa and New Zealand, and yet Australians are still facing many of the same debates that we are.

Let’s not blame the Treaty. It is hugely significant but it is not the be-all and end-all, nor the panacea for every challenge we face as a country. We would still have to face the challenges of genuinely redressing Maori grievances, of fully associating Maori with New Zealand nationhood, and of ensuring their fullest participation in our economy and society, regardless of whether we had the Treaty or not.

Finally, in many ways the Treaty no longer underwrites what it used to. Maori, when they signed the Treaty, signed up to the British global order which existed at the time. Since then New Zealand has become an independent self-governing country. But the government’s duty to look after all its citizens, Maori and Pakeha, equally.

Pita Sharples is proving of no great consequence, and no great hurdle for Hide to overcome.

Turiana Turia can be set off once in a while, and she may yet be provoked. But when?

It is obvious that racism is about someone being selected (or self selecting) based on race. Everyone is an individual and as a Maori I resent being told that I am superior/inferior and so should have special/different support/systems. I am no different to any other normal and healthy person on this earth and demand to be treated as such.

Special Maori seats on the new Auckland Council is an insult to Maori.

And gooner seems like a rather cynical refugee from the Kiwibog. No time to engage with reasoned arguments, but plenty to complain about the evil lefties.

Saying that contra proferentum is an “argument” with “no proper answer” is like saying the world is flat or there is no climate change. Reality is mighty inconvenient for dunces who prefer a faith-based world instead.

Do I really believe it’s apartheid? No. Do I think it’s repugnant to have race based seats? Yes.

And I don’t have time to answer every pathetic venal argument posted on this website as I earn a living during the day. The argument that Te Tiriti guaranteed Tino Rangitiratanga to the Chiefs has been countered many times by the proposition that Maori ceded sovereignty to the Crown and that Parliament is now supreme. You might disagree with that and counter with the old contra proferentum argument which is expected but the point is these arguments go backwards and forwards and there is no proper answer.

What I’d prefer is a written constitution of New Zealand that includes Te Tiriti as Aotearoa’s founding document and which sorts these issues out once and for all. Until we have a written constitution that is supreme these fights will continue which I think is a shame. We have politicians who argue the toss over many minor issues without focusing on sorting out the core issues of governance this country sorely needs.

If they did that idiots like me wouldn’t need to get excited about race base seats and race based representation but until these fundamental governance/constitutional issues are dealt with finally I will.

Sorry in advance.