Clayton Cosgrove at work
The HoS Editorial attacks critics of the proposed Maori prison unit:
It is dispiriting to hear the word “apartheid” bandied about in such circumstances. That word applied to a particularly loathsome kind of institutionalised racial oppression written into law in a specific time and place. Under the guise of separate development, it deliberately maintained one racial group as an underclass. Tackling the appalling Maori imprisonment rate cannot reasonably be seen as oppressive towards non-Maori.
Those who seek to depict it as an easy ride for which an inmate qualifies simply by virtue of his skin colour are being at least mischievous, if not reactionary.
So who is this reactionary critic, the HoS refers to? It can only be Clayton Cosgrove, whose PR said:
“Punishments for violent offenders who commit crimes against ordinary New Zealanders should not be based on an accident of birth and that is exactly what the Government is proposing.
“Targeted rehabilitative programmes delivered within the mainstream prison system are appropriate and their benefits should continue to be explored.
“Unfortunately the Government is not proposing to do this; it is proposing to develop an entirely separate set of punishments and of privileges based solely on race.
“Minister of Maori Affairs Pita Sharples stance is an insult to victims of crimes.
“A rape victim or victim of any violent offence should know that their offender will be punished equally no matter what their race.
“Dr Sharples seems to care little for victims of crime if he believes that allowing violent offenders to go flatting or be given special privileges based on race is an appropriate punishment.
As others have noted this was a total misrepresentation of how these units would work – no one would be sentenced to them. Towards the end of their sentence they may qualify to go there to increase their chance of rehabilitation.
Some commentators have compared Cosgrove’s outburst to Don Brash;s Orewa speech. Now personally I feel such a comparison is very unfair to Dr Brash (Brash never used such inflammatory language) but let us accept it is in the same vein . Now my spies have dug out a SST newspaper story from February 2004, in response to Orewa. Quotes include:
[MP] yesterday compared Brash’s rhetoric to that of Australian ultra-nationalist Pauline Hanson, who also used the “one people” line to argue against special treatment for Aborigines. …
“If Dr Brash continues with these coded messages of division, then you’re going to see that behaviour coming to a pub or a street near you. And that would be a tragedy.”
“If Dr Brash is not careful, his legacy to this country will be the politics of divisions, the Hansonite politics,” he said.
“Brash has gone too far. He’s Xeroxed off Pauline Hanson’s words and Pauline Hanson’s campaign strategy. Those words are a code for division, a code for unrest, a code that tore Australia down the middle.”
So who was this MP viciously attacking Don Brash for his Orewa speech, and comparing him to Pauline Hanson?
It was a Clayton Cosgrove MP.
So will Clayton Cosgrove MP compare Clayton Cosgrove MP to Pauline Hanson?
Is this new strategy approved by Phil Goff and Parekura Horomia?
April 20th, 2009 at 9:24 am
..Now my spies have dug out a SST newspaper story from February 2004..
Taxpayer funded ministerial staffers and or parliamentary research / mudslingers providing information for Kiwiblog… again.
[DPF: But who do you agree with. Clayton Cosgrove or Clayton Cosgrove?]
April 20th, 2009 at 9:30 am
“Now my spies ”
No doubt more public funded Standard Labour liars.
April 20th, 2009 at 9:32 am
In a previous article/editorial, IIRC the Herald said that the reduction in reoffending attributed “finishing schools” within the prisons was 7%.. and the comment was that wasn’t very high.. yet even that small figure must mean some hundreds of crimes not committed annually.
It’s therefore well worthwhile to trial a scheme that could improve that percentage.
JC
April 20th, 2009 at 9:42 am
next the spin doctors will be writing up stuff and submitting for publication in your name like they allready do for ministers in the newspapers
[DPF: What an excellent idea. You really are desperate to divert attention away from Cosgrove aren't you]
April 20th, 2009 at 9:53 am
!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:””; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB; mso-fareast-language:EN-GB;} p {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0cm; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB; mso-fareast-language:EN-GB;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –> “If Dr Brash is not careful, his legacy to this country will be the politics of divisions, the Hansonite politics,” he said.
I know politicians are used to speaking in codewords, but that’s ridiculous.
April 20th, 2009 at 9:53 am
This stuff from Cosgrove is very disappointing. This will hardly win any points with Goff and the bulk of the Labour Caucus because it makes the task of building a more positive relationship with the Maori Party that much harder.
It’s such cheap and nasty politics so unsubtle so hackned.
Most importantly, it doesn’t take the policy suggestion from the Maori Party seriously; doesn’t analyse it on its merits instead Cosgrove is cartoonish and reactionary.
Even when the Party’s of the centre right disagree with the Maori Party it is done so within a relationship of mutual respect and some personal affection. Labour still have not found the right approach – Cosgrove won’t help he just makes a existing problem worse.
Cosgrove has always styled himself in the footsteps of Mike Moore.
Moore, whatever his faults is a big and generous person – it is this sort of politics he despises. He will have his face in his hands over this clanger.
Very disappointing.
April 20th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Now my spies have dug out a SST newspaper story from February 2004..
Taxpayer funded ministerial staffers and or parliamentary research / mudslingers providing information for Kiwiblog… again.
[DPF: But who do you agree with. Clayton Cosgrove or Clayton Cosgrove?]
And who was the political party who screamed ‘special treatment’ when labour started announcing Maori specific programs back in the early 2000s.
Unfortunately I dont have tax funded ‘spies’ to dig up all the quotes of who in national said what back then
But based on the ‘ they were against it before they were for it’ for major elements of labours programs of the last few years that were supported in order to win Nationa an election but will likely be ditched anyway and so preforming a back flip on the original somersault
April 20th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Translation time:”It is dispiriting to hear the word “apartheid” bandied about in such circumstances. That word applied to a particularly loathsome kind of institutionalised racial oppression written into law in a specific time and place. Under the guise of separate development, it deliberately maintained one racial group as an underclass. Tackling the appalling Maori imprisonment rate cannot reasonably be seen as oppressive towards non-Maori. ”
Its ok when its done to white people.
This is a crock, the worst offending group is given the softest treatment. Perpetuation of this attitude is possibly the most socially destructive aspect of New Zealand today. The Maori Party exists for nothing else.
April 20th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
jacob – do us all a favour mate, and bugger off. There is no point trying to defend the indefensible, and Cosgrove’s racist dog-whistle was definitely indefensible.