The Platform, Summarised by Centrist
According to Shane Jones of NZ First, key issues for this election include the sentiment that too much change has taken place without a democratic mandate.
The Northland electorate candidate says people feel co-governance has been sprung on them, the attitude of the media and a sense that businesses are being strangled are concerns throughout his Northland electorate.
Jones says co-governance is driven by a small group that wants veto rights over the property utilisation of farmers, miners, etc., and the current government never campaigned on it.
He says not a single stat is improving for Māori. Yet the rhetoric and the shrillness associated with the Treaty and principles gathers pace.
NZ First wants to substantially shrink the size of the Waitangi tribunal and confine it to a residual number of functions.
He says trying to rewrite the constitutional character of New Zealand ends up creating divisiveness between iwi and New Zealanders.
Jones argues that it’s not credible to blame NZ First in 2017 for what voters did in 2020. Most voters don’t want to be reminded of it.
Jones says NZ First have ruled out governing with the current labour government.
