Summarised by Centrist
“New Zealand is a racist country,” writes researcher and author Dr John Robinson. But not in the way many may assume.
According to Robinson, New Zealand’s government includes race-based Māori seats and a race-based Māori Party.
The Supreme Court has granted sovereignty to Māori tribes, giving special status to tikanga – Māori ideology. Additionally, the Waitangi Tribunal exclusively addresses breaches of the Treaty, but only by the Crown against Māori.
Robinson laments the loss of national unity and shared purpose. He argues that the Treaty of Waitangi, initially intended to ensure equality among all New Zealanders, has been willfully misinterpreted, leading to racial divisions and special rights for Māori.
Robinson argues that the Waitangi Tribunal has promoted a divisive, rewritten history of the Treaty, now referred to as “Tiriti.” This has led to calls for separate Māori governance, culminating in the 2019 He Puapua report.
The report outlines a vision for two racially defined government structures by 2040, effectively splitting New Zealand and giving Māori a significant veto in joint governance areas.
The emergence of race-based politics, including the establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal and Māori seats in government, is a deviation from the Treaty’s original intent, according to Robinson.
