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Being the only racially based political party in parliament means that the Maori Party has always had an uphill battle to remain a unified force.
Most other parties are ideologically based, so their members and supporters know what they were signing up for. National Party supporters know that they can expect a Centre-Right policy platform from their parliamentary team. Greens supporters can expect a left-wing environmentally friendly socialist agenda from their team.
The Maori Party however represent a section of a single racial group within our nation. Their constituency is drawn from all areas of the political spectrum, all with their own set of expectations about what their representatives in parliament should be doing on their behalf. Because of this there is a much greater likelihood of internal divisions in the Maori Party than other political parties.
The policy band that National and Labour operate within is largely a good fit with their supporters so there is little cause for public internal blood-letting over an issue. The Maori Party unfortunately doesn't have that luxury, with tribal differences further clouding the way for smooth political navigation.
The origins of the party were not born in harmony either. An increasingly patronising Labour Government took the Maori seats for granted and went one step too far for many Maori voters with the foreshore and seabed legislation forcing a split. National wanting the final nail in the coffin of the Clark Government were only too happy to embrace the fledgling Maori Party with its rapidly growing support base. The promise of a partnership in Government and the carrot of the mana enhancing position of Minister of Maori Affairs was all it took to seal an unlikely alliance.
It is a measure of how badly Labour strategists misjudged the mood of the Maori electorate that a power sharing deal was done so easily between former enemies. However despite the unity laden glow of first love, supporters from both the Maori Party and National would have been dismayed at the union and we can't print here what ACT would have thought.
Hone Harawira's outbursts are only going to be the latest in a continuing string of public crises that the Maori Party will have to face. To successfully survive they need strong but moderate leadership who can present a united public face and show that they can play their part in producing a stable government.
The fact that Harawira looks like he is being retained within the party is a brave move on the part of the Maori Party leadership. He has proven in the past that he is unable to curb his radical tendencies and readily puts personal and tribal agendas before his party and the Government they are part of. Any apology he gives as part of his reconciliation would rank as one of the most insincere and hypocritical we have seen in a long time, and is probably better left unsaid.
All the while National supporters must be wriggling in discomfort at the rhetoric and actions on display from some Maori Party supporters.
There is a chunk of the electorate in this country, who are mainly older and right-wing in nature that prefer our indigenous population to knuckle under and get on with living and being successful in a white mans world. There is also a good portion of the Maori electorate that have had enough of two centuries of being second class citizens and want the partnership sentiments of the Treaty of Waitangi to be honoured - now.
For the majority of us stuck in the middle who are proud of our Maori and European heritage as a nation, and want to see us develop as a mature multi-cultural democracy, the public antics of extremists on both sides only serves to inflame the old deep seated differences, instead of maintaining a dialogue of partnership. When one side takes a radical stance it only serves to harden the resolve of the other side and often only ends up driving moderates into the radical camp.
For John Key, while he and his Government remain popular they can weather the storm that the Maori Party divisions have created so far. But the longer this goes an and the Maori Party is prepared to accommodate divisive radicals like Hone Harawira, then some of Nationals own supporters are going to temporarily jump ship until they can trust their Party to be true to its principles again.
It might not be on the same scale as when the Lange Government took a sharp right turn away from its support base in the 1980's but it will be enough to open up the door to a left-wing coalition being able to mount a viable challenge at the next general election.
Similarly some Maori Party supporters are going to be uneasy with the compromises their Party is making in supporting National in Government. As things stand at the moment, the Maori Party is in real danger of splintering. Unfortunately for National, if this 'death spiral' continues they are locked in with the Maori Party, for better or for worse. To add further uncertainty, ACT are going to be increasingly distancing themselves from government policy that has been compromised for the sake of the Maori Party.
National is definitely strong enough to survive a Maori Party meltdown, but the longer they condone radical agendas the more damage will be done as disaffected supporters temporarily turn off their electoral allegiance and donor funds.
Another six months of what we have experienced from the Maori Party in the last six weeks and the 'cut and run' option for National strategists is going to look increasingly attractive. For now though they are locked in a death spiral with a volatile ally who is showing little inclination to let them come up for air.
Journalists everywhere are salivating in excitement at every twist and turn. The rest of us have had a guts full already.
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Comments
I am one of the mixed-race
I am one of the mixed-race people Dave refers to and I'm a Maori Party supporter.
Congratulations Dave on being about the only Pakeha journalist so far who has shown much insight into Maori Party dynamics. I believe the Party will get stronger because it has implemented the tikanga it promised in its manifesto - people come first. That's one of the things Georgina Te Heuheu meant when she said "I want to live in a country that allows me to be Maori." Politicians and journos grumble at the 'waste of time' when the Maori Party goes back to its grass roots to consult, but that's exactly what 99% of us want. We have been left out of that process for the last 130 years and mostly treated as if our views didn't matter, and we have suffered that indignity in silence for too long.
Hi Alan, I appreciate your
Hi Alan,
I appreciate your input. I do hope the Maori Party survives, because I believe that Maori need a strong independent voice in parliament. They have a hard road to go though. Their choice to go with National was both bold and dangerous. Credit to National so far for allowing them to be themselves and do things their way. Hone has definately made life very difficult for the Maori Party leadership and only time will tell if the damage is permanent. Either way it has been good for politicians who prefer to have power in the hands of a few to see true consultation in action. Taking some time, meeting the people, all having opportunity to air their views and then we decide the way forward. It takes as long as it takes. There is no time deadline, or pre-determined outcome.
I still don't understand why
I still don't understand why we are allowed to have racist politicians - if anyone else from any other party said that they would be soundly bounced.
When it comes to
When it comes to inflammatory racist remarks there is no defence. Hone might have thought he was letting off steam in a private email, but it was naive to think that it would not end up in the public domain. Any politician has a duty to encourage understanding and equality between races. It will be interesting to see if the Maori Party show the same level of tolerance to any future political racist remarks directed at them as they have to Hone's outburst.
Sorry, the latest farce
Sorry, the latest farce between National and Maori will be the death knell of both parties. I have always been a National Supporter, but what Key and his cronies are doing now, is way away from what I voted for. At least one good thing, In this country you don't have to vote, so that's what I will be doing come next election. RIP National
Yeah Wolfman its one of the
Yeah Wolfman its one of the flaws of our political system that we vote for someone and then they end up forming a coalition with someone we didn't vote for. I think parties need ot be more up-front about who they have done deals with pre-election. Three years is a long time to wait to vote someone out who has taken advantage of us.
Hmmm, I like that you have
Hmmm, I like that you have managed to discuss how the majority of NZers "stuck in the middle" would like nothing more than to live in a democratic country, without really grasping the core of what that particular sentiment means. Maori already have a stable form of democracy that has been in place for a really really long time, longer than the "democracy" you mention. There will always be an uneasy alliance between Maori and any mainstream political party because the overarching political system itself contradicts Maori political practice.
Essentially, that is where the problem lies because from an "extremist" Maori position I can only view the "democracy" you write about as an erasure of pan-Maori democratic process. I can understand why people are annoyed at Hone Harawira's comments, but that is the norm of Maori politics. In our political arena(Marae) everyone has an opportunity to voice their concerns and actually speak on issues. Everyone has equal opportunity to either support or condemn ideas expressed by their whanaunga, that's how we have always made decisions to get things done in our communities. Isn't that true democracy? Why wouldn't Maori support this over the flawed system currently in place?
The problem most NZers have today with Maori, in general, stem from any degree of real insight into Maori cultural practice. Put yourself in Maori shoes, our country has been invaded and our reality negatively altered forever. Of course we're always going to vehemently assert our annoyance at this fact.
I enjoy that you're not overly biased in your article but you are mistaken that the Maori party is not ideologically based. Whilst I do not support the Maori party, or any other NZ political party for that matter, they are based in the cultural ideology that is Maoritanga, and I do support Maoritanga.
Sorry nobody invaded your
Sorry nobody invaded your country, your people are immigrants the same as the white man.
Thanks for taking the time
Thanks for taking the time to comment Richard. We are probably even on the democracy vintage. Western democracy is based on the Greek system, mainly from Athens dating back 2500 years.
I certainly agree that the maori system of government and the Westminster system used in mainstream politics in New Zealand are not easily compatable. There is certainly a lack of cultural understanding in this country. Over a long period Maori were forcibly assimilated into Pakeha culture in a concerted attempt to marginalise their way of life and impose western 'civilization' on them. A lot of my cultural heritage is from Scotland. Our way of life (not dissimilar to Maori)was destroyed by the English in a concerted attempt to break the clans and impose English rule and English ways. Like the Scots, the Maori way of life will never be what it was, but what remains needs to be encouraged and nutured. That aside until the majority are prepared to accept the special place that Maori have as the tangata whenua in our country then it is an uphill battle.
Wolfman, we're all
Wolfman, we're all immigrants agreed, but I think you'll find that the European "immigration" of the colonial era equates to cultural domination, genocide, hegemonic state sanctioned discourses in the guise of schooling that displaces identity, theft of land and resources, symbolic violence enacted through imposed government structures and policies... gee, and Maori still experience this "immigration" today in some form or another.
Sounds like an invasion to me. Perhaps you should read more.
"European "immigration" of
"European "immigration" of the colonial era equates to cultural domination, genocide,"
Sounds a lot like what the moaris did to the Moriori.
NZ is unique in that it was raped and bled dry LONG before the white man arrived.....
It's almost amusing how
It's almost amusing how often people bandy that one about. Not a single Maori person denies the fact that inter-tribal warfare happened you moron. The iwi you talk about still retain their whakapapa and mana whenua today and other iwi respect their tribal identity. It's a part of our socio-political history which you obviously know very little about that considering your inane and pathetic perception of Maori resource management and cultural politics. Fuck-off back to the golf course, I'm sure those wankers there will appreciate your driveL.
Excuse my bewty motherfucker!!!
Chill out Richard there is
Chill out Richard there is plenty more where that one came from. I am hoping it is a generational thing and that racial tolerance and understanding will become stronger as time goes on in this land. It is definitely no issue that Maori fought each other just as Pakeha did the same in their tribal (and later National) origins. What is important is to gain a better understanding of the past so it will help us with where to go from here in this land. No one is going anywhere so we have to work this out amongst ourselves. I am hoping that the vast majority of Pakeha will come to value our Maori heritage and what it can offer us today as much as many Maori do. Education is the key to understanding. Extremism can help shape the middle ground, but it is not a viable long term strategy. We have to find a new way or we are going to end up back in the past in conflict with each other. In that place no one will win.
Agreed, and yup I'd like to
Agreed, and yup I'd like to chill out too. However you can't imagine how increasingly frustrating it is to constantly read descriptions of what Maori do, what we look like, what we believe, and what New Zealanders think Maori should be doing. It is not about winning or losing, but simply having the right and freedom to determine our own paths, without all the hegemony and pschological trauma.
Yup, I'm vehement about my cultual identity, but then I'm an artist and regardless of which side of the cultural divide I stand on, and believe me I'm forced to take a stance in every social interaction I engage in, that's my job!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Richard-Kereopa/28302419344?ref=ts
"Bandy it about"? My facts
"Bandy it about"? My facts getting in the way of your story there, Richie?
And I don't play golf, you dumb brown motherfucker.
We dragged your sorry are into the modern age, pal. If you don't like it, you can back to your cave, or back into your mud hut your fucker-papa ancestors used to live in.
You should play golf. Lots
You should play golf. Lots of boring people play golf.
slash, feel free to kiss my proverbial brown "are" because I have a Masters degree so dumb doesn't even come close dear:)
Kia pai to ra!
I'm with Dave and Richard on
I'm with Dave and Richard on this one. We have to live together. If someone in your immediate family starts acting up, you sort it out and you don't play blaming games that invite ill-informed onlookers to join in.
One of the bits of unconscious racism that really gets under my (very pale brown) skin is the way Maori are always being put under the microscope for all sorts of pseudo-convincing reasons. If half a dozen Government Departments and several Universities were to put their energies into investigating whether Protestants or Catholics were more likely to be convicted of drunken driving or suffer various health problems, don't you think there would be an outcry? But when it's Pakeha and Maori everyone nods sagely and says what a good idea, because Maori ARE more often in the 'bad' statistics. My question is: what is the underlying motivation for those studies? I don't buy most of the reasons they give us, particularly those that come from the academics.
Great input Alan. I think
Great input Alan. I think the 'studies' you refer to are often well intentioned, but then so was a lot of the socially terrible things that were done for well over a hundred years, especially in education. By focusing on singular issues such as crime, educational achievement and socio-economic disparities they get lost in trying to find the answers because they are only looking at the detail. All that often happens is that the results of these studies only end up being used as weapons by politicians from both extremes to back up their pre-conceived stances. In all this the academics and politicians miss the point, that the problem is easy to understand but no one is willing to accept what this means. When an indigenous culture has the very essence of its spiritual and physical existence forcibly supressed then it is obvious that there is going to be a heavy price to pay. A modern secular Pakeha culture has the distinctive feature of having no spiritual dimension and no desire to acquire one. All that is left is the soulless gathering and storing of wealth. That is not the basis for any kind of meaningful society. Until all sides of the cultural spectrum are willing to look at each other as equals and work on that basis we will get nowhere. Aoteoroa New Zealand has the potential to show the world how a multicultutral society can accept and celebrate each others differences and values while at the same time forging a shared national identity unique to our land.
Many Pakeha politicians need to lose their arrogant patronising attiudes that they in their blindness don't even realise they have. Many of the Maori politicians also need to lose some of their arrogant patrionising attitudes as well. If many Pakeha were to cease thinking that their way was the only way we might just get somewhere. It would be made a whole lot easier if many of the so called defenders of Maori culture were able to accept that the past cannot be changed but the future is still to be shaped. If they learned to live with the reality of the situatuion and set about promoting the many fantastic positive things that Maori have to offer the world then anything is possible. Now thats something worth studying.
You're on to it, Dave. I've
You're on to it, Dave. I've spent a lifetime trying to figure out how to deal with that exact issue without finding any real answers except that direct experience is always the best teacher. That's why in my rural teaching days we put a lot of effort into getting local Pakeha on to marae in non-threatening situations and supportively showing them our values in action. It worked well once they could be persuaded to come, but those who most needed to were often TERRIFIED at the prospect of eating, sleeping, toileting and just generally being among Maori! None of them would ever tell us what their secret fears were, but they were pretty strong.
I suspect similar irrational fears are behind much of that arrogance you talk about.
The thing that I love most
The thing that I love most about this nation is that we make real attempts to address our identity.
I have complex discussions about national identity with indigenous artists from around the world on a daily basis and it gives me a great sense of pride to realise our distinctiveness with regards to how we resolve the mismatches between our cultures.
When I look at contemporary NZ art I see our artists communicating something profound in that as a nation we seem to be attempting to engage with spirituality in its broadest sense.
I was at Cape Reinga last night and I looked back toward Aotearoa and smiled because I was reminded how beautiful and special a place we live in. When I look at our art I see a nation on the verge of positive change and progress, and I smile even more.
Na, Rich.
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