Summarised by Centrist
In “Final thoughts on election 2023”, Dr Muriel Newman asks if the “big reveal” of election night will see the nation “enter a new era of hope and opportunity”?
Amongst many reflections, Newman says the election has cast doubts on the state of NZ’s MSM.
“(T)heir overwhelming focus appears to be on helping Labour undermine the credibility of a potential National-led government,” she says.
Neman also argues that a new government needs to immediately act on a list of priorities to reverse the damage of the “disastrous Ardern era”. She calls for scrapping all He Puapua measures and for steps to be taken to prevent a similar undermining of constitutional processes in the future.
She’s also calling for a referendum on the future of Māori seats in Parliament and Local Government. In addition, Newman wants New Zealand to withdraw from the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
“Although this is a non-binding accord, it was nevertheless used by radicals in their attempted takeover of New Zealand’s democracy,” she says.
