General Debate 30 October 2010

October 30th, 2010 at 9:25 am by David Farrar
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62 Responses to “General Debate 30 October 2010”

  1. djg (71) Says:

    Now what?

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  2. Scumsucker (59) Says:

    Either John Key or the Coastal Coalition are telling lies of the most fantastic proportions.

    I suspect the the CC are on the money.

    John Key is the greatest traitor in New Zealand’s history.

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  3. Yvette (2,428) Says:

    For worst supporting role, I nominate Phil Goff
    Chris Trotter – The Dominion Post
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4286985/For-worst-supporting-role-I-nominate-Phil-Goff

    Although Trotter’s opinion item is a bit be-laboured it is interesting to note he emphasises the Phil Goff failure to front in THE HOBBIT union drama.

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  4. Tina Palin (21) Says:

    I see dead tree media reports I will run for POTUS if there are “no other candidates”. Well, of course there are no other candidates, silly.

    The viable ones were part of the elites I despise and my Mad Hatter’s Tea Party has put paid to them, leaving moi as the shining beocon of the neocon.

    I give you my word I will not swim downstream with any more dead rats to become the Mother of Our Nation.

    TTFN Tina

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  5. Seamonkey Madness (328) Says:

    If Minto shows up at the rowing world champs to protest Israel competing , I dare say he is going to get rather more than just some soggy cucumber and watercress sandwiches thrown at him.

    Good luck for the coming week NZ crew!

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  6. Inventory2 (8,895) Says:

    Agreed Yvette – I couldn’t be more opposed to Trotter’s politics, but I commend him for his openness and candour in criticising the labour movement and the Leader of the Opposition and his office.

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  7. Roflcopter (313) Says:

    Was chatting with Hekia Parata & Gerry Brownlee last night. Goff was floating around too for a wee while, but he got lonely and left.

    Labour are fair shitting themselves over Mana at the moment, now that McCarten has thrown his hat in the ring.

    Labour have to at least maintain the vote margin from the last election, or it’s a complete rejection of them and their policies. Irrespective of which side any Labour vote carving comes from (Parata or McCarten), and even if Fa’afoi still wins, National can stick it to them big time.

    And that’ll make 2011 election in Mana even more interesting.

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  8. mawm (211) Says:

    Scunsucker – Either John Key or the Coastal Coalition are telling lies of the most fantastic proportions.

    Are there any new lies out?

    BTW – I’m not sure whether Jonkey is lying or whether he is being misled by that lawyer who pulls his pants up too high.

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  9. reid (13,655) Says:

    “Although Trotter’s opinion item is a bit be-laboured it is interesting to note he emphasises the Phil Goff failure to front in THE HOBBIT union drama.”

    Yes I said yesterday on RedAlert how much of a shame it was to lose all that momentum from the conference. I thought I’d better point it out since no-one was talking about it much and I thought it was important to emphasize. Funnily enough still no-one actually did want to talk about it very much.

    It is tragic though isn’t it. Just as Phil had almost succeeded in fooling some of the people some of the time, the rug was pulled away by an extraordinary gripping clash of national import in which Key has now emerged triumphant looking like a shining knight of olde. Oh dear.

    This is so sad.

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  10. the bird is the word (69) Says:

    John Key is the greatest traitor in New Zealand’s history.

    Hmmm, really? I think it’s actually her

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  11. the bird is the word (69) Says:

    Banks for Epsom ?!

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  12. Fletch (4,405) Says:

    Obama is ok with children fighting and dying in wars of genocide.
    He has exempted Sudan, Yemen from Child Soldiers Prevention Act.

    WASHINGTON (AP) — In a move criticized by human rights organizations, the Obama administration has decided to exempt Yemen and three other countries that use child soldiers from U.S. penalties under the 2008 Child Soldiers Prevention Act.
    In a memorandum to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, President Barack Obama said he had determined that “it is in the national interest of the United States” to waive application of the law to Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Yemen. He instructed Clinton to submit the decision to the Congress with a written justification for the move.

    Obama’s memo, released by the White House on Monday, did not include the justification. Administration officials have said, however, that cutting off military aid to those four countries as required by the law would do more harm than good. And they have said that continuing close cooperation with them can be a more effective way of changing their practices.

    Jo Becker, children’s rights director at Human Rights Watch, said Obama had supported the legislation when he was in the Senate….

    The Obamaniac gets worse everyday. WTF is wrong with him?
    He’s a sick, sick man.

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  13. the bird is the word (69) Says:

    He’s better than McCain

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  14. reid (13,655) Says:

    “…cutting off military aid to those four countries as required by the law would do more harm than good.”

    That’s probably a fair point, if you care to think about it.

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  15. Pauleastbay (3,869) Says:

    If 20 people can run Auckland with 1.4 million people.

    Why do we need 126 in Wellington to do the job nationally????

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  16. Kris K (3,570) Says:

    Fletch 11:26 am,

    Obama is ok with children fighting and dying in wars of genocide.
    He has exempted Sudan, Yemen from Child Soldiers Prevention Act. [...]

    The Obamaniac gets worse everyday. WTF is wrong with him?
    He’s a sick, sick man.

    Is it really that surprising with Obama’s strong pro-abortion views?
    And on a similar note, have we ever heard him condemn Islamic nations/regimes etc when they use children for homocide bombing missions? Or that Muslim kids are taught from day one that to die for Allah and kill the infidel is the highest possible calling?

    This poor excuse for a human being is completely amoral and, I believe, has no respect for any human life; children or otherwise. It’s hard to think of a better example of someone who has the spirit of antichrist working through them.

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  17. Kris K (3,570) Says:

    Lest we forget:

    Obama’s Abortion Bombshell: Unrestricted Abortion Over Wishes of Individual States a Priority for Presidency
    By Peter J. Smith

    WASHINGTON, D.C., June 10, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Barack Obama, the presumptive pro-abortion nominee of the Democratic Party, has plans to reward the allies that helped him topple Hillary Clinton from her throne by making total unrestricted abortion in the United States his number one priority as president.

    In light of Obama’s recently achieved status as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Focus on the Family’s CitizenLink has decided to remind its supporters that almost one year has passed since Obama made his vows to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund that abortion would be the first priority of his administration.

    “The first thing I’d do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act,” Obama said in his July speech to abortion advocates worried about the increase of pro-life legislation at the state level.

    The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is legislation Obama has co-sponsored along with 18 other senators that would annihilate every single state law limiting or regulating abortion, including the federal ban on partial birth abortion.
    [continues]

    As I said in my earlier post:
    It’s hard to think of a better example of someone who has the spirit of antichrist working through them.

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  18. Jimbob (622) Says:

    The used car salesman from Kenya will go down as the worst US President in history. Dems policies are just spend, spend, and more spending. The US is bloated with debt and he is making it larger. This QE crap that Bernanke is going to do next week is like pissing into the wind, as the whole house of cards is going to eventually collapse and take the rest of us with it.
    Why does Man always repeat his mistakes?

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  19. reid (13,655) Says:

    Or that Muslim kids are taught from day one that to die for Allah and kill the infidel is the highest possible calling?

    So Kris what you’re saying is that in your opinion, it would be helpful for world affairs were the POTUS to speak out and suggest that in his opinion, every single Muslim in the entire world is right now raising their children to believe that?

    Just what do you think would follow on from such a proclamation, apart from your ardent applause?

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  20. Kris K (3,570) Says:

    reid 1:19 pm,

    So Kris what you’re saying is that in your opinion, it would be helpful for world affairs were the POTUS to speak out and suggest that in his opinion, every single Muslim in the entire world is right now raising their children to believe that?

    Just what do you think would follow on from such a proclamation, apart from your ardent applause?

    No doubt there would be a number of representatives of the “Religion of Peace” who would stand up in response and say, “You’re wrong, and we will pray for your salvation …”

    … oops, sorry Reid, I’m confusing the ‘Religion of Peace’ with another one which worships the “Prince of Peace” – silly me.

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  21. Inventory2 (8,895) Says:

    Oh shit; not the “Religion of Peace” again! Can’t you guys just agree to disagree, and not stuff up the GD day, after day, after day?

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  22. Kris K (3,570) Says:

    Inventory2 1:43 pm,

    We’re actually talking about Obama’s lack of respect for human life – especially children – but I hear ya.

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  23. TripeWryter (715) Says:

    I’ve been reading this week about the Masters-Clapham Junction.

    Bridget Masters was on trial in Wellington over an altercation she had with Victoria Clapham in a bar — called Temperance — nearly a year ago.

    The dispute apparently was over a silver dress that Miss Masters had worn, and now Miss Clapham was wearing. Miss Masters asked her what she was doing in ‘my dress’.

    I might have had some sympathy for Miss Clapham if she had confined her answer to “Because Matt gave it to me”. Matt was the boyfriend, and Miss Masters’ previous boyf.

    But she had to then stick the stiletto in, as girls are wont to do, and continue thus: “and because it looks so much better on me than it does on you”.

    From then on it had to progress to the district court, where, God knows, a judge, Crown, counsel, and a jury had to decide who was telling the truth.

    Miss Clapham did not appear to have suffered serious physical injury. Miss Masters decided she was the victim.

    If I was a juror on this trial, I’d be seriously asking: “you mean to say I had to give up three days work, reorganise my family commitments, for the pittance you pay jurors, to listen to THIS?”

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  24. Fletch (4,405) Says:

    Jimbob, I agree – Obama is the worst president in US history. He doesn’t believe in American Exceptionalism; he’s embarrassed and ashamed of America – apologizes everywhere he goes for America. He has surrounded himself with “czars” that are extremely socialist, just like he is. He doesn’t believe in the war in Afghanistan; the objective is not to win there now, but to hold out until Obama’s date until they’re all supposed to come back home. That’s why Obama only sent 30,000 new troops – not enough to win, just enough to hold them where they are until the withdrawal date – who cares if they die in the meantime.

    I don’t know if he is Muslim (as some have suggested), but for sure, the record shows that every other week he’s making announcements about how he’s going to reach out to Muslims, and the things he’s going to do for them. He even rebranded NASA’s mission goal as an outreach to Muslims. (I’m not kidding)

    In a far-reaching restatement of goals for the nation’s space agency, NASA administrator Charles Bolden says President Obama has ordered him to pursue three new objectives: to “re-inspire children” to study science and math, to “expand our international relationships,” and to “reach out to the Muslim world.” Of those three goals, Bolden said in a recent interview with al-Jazeera, the mission to reach out to Muslims is “perhaps foremost,” because it will help Islamic nations “feel good” about their scientific accomplishments.

    Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/obamas-new-mission-for-nasa-reach-out-to-muslim-world-97785979.html#ixzz13nXWfKxi

    You can see Bolden saying this in an interview HERE

    The White House is no longer allowed to use the phrases, “war on terror”, or “jihad”, and definitely not to mention terrorism in connection with Islam. Even after the Fort Hood massacre by a Muslim, Obama told the nation “I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts” and ‘we don’t have all the answers yet”, when it was as plain as day.

    Also, Obama accepted $30,000 donations illegally from Palestinians in Gaza through his website for his presidential campaign (which is highly illegal). They had Gazans ordering Obama t-shirts. The Obama team said that they had made a mistake and thought that “GA” stood for Georgia and not Gaza, yet all the shirts were delivered to the right address in Gaza, the Middle East. The Obama team says they’ve paid the money back, but records show they haven’t.

    One could go on and on, ObamaCare, cap and trade, Obama being ACORN’s lawyer then lying that he wasn’t, etc etc…

    I have no respect for Obama at all – none….

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  25. eszett (2,025) Says:

    Fletch (1,466) Says:
    October 30th, 2010 at 11:26 am

    Obama is ok with children fighting and dying in wars of genocide.
    He has exempted Sudan, Yemen from Child Soldiers Prevention Act.

    Conveniently as ever, Fletch, you left out some inconvenient facts in the news report:
    Never mind the facts when you can have a good rant about Obama.

    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/29/waiving-penalties-use-child-soldiers/print

    State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the countries who received the waiver deserve more time to correct their practices.

    “In each of these countries we are working with the governments to stop the recruitment of child soldiers or demobilize those who may already be in the ranks,” Crowley said. “These countries have put the right policies in place but are struggling to effectively implement them. These waivers allow the United States to continue to conduct valuable training programs.”

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  26. eszett (2,025) Says:

    Fletch (1,466) Says:
    October 30th, 2010 at 2:12 pm

    Jimbob, I agree – Obama is the worst president in US history. He doesn’t believe in American Exceptionalism; he’s embarrassed and ashamed of America – apologizes everywhere he goes for America. He has surrounded himself with “czars” that are extremely socialist, just like he is. He doesn’t believe in the war in Afghanistan; the objective is not to win there now, but to hold out until Obama’s date until they’re all supposed to come back home. That’s why Obama only sent 30,000 new troops – not enough to win, just enough to hold them where they are until the withdrawal date – who cares if they die in the meantime.

    Wow, Fletch, what did you have for breakfast today?

    BTW, when did Obama apologise for America?
    And who was it that did not send enough troops to Afghanistan in the first place and allowed the place to become a complete fuck up? Your dear friend and hero GWB possibly?

    I am sure Obama is worried sick that he doesn’t have the respect of some nutbars like you and Kris K.

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  27. hj (4,089) Says:

    Back Benchers:
    Meteria Turie 12000 private titles where the title holders can charge for use*. What would to the Greens do “we would make sure Maaris couldn’t sell their customary titles”.

    *Summary of the parcels that adjoin the foreshore
    owned by the Crown 7,455km 37.64%
    owned by territorial authorities 6,239km 31.42%
    General land 3,979km 20.05%
    Maori land 2,053km 10.35%
    Unresolved 107km 0.54%

    Catherine Delahunty: MP
    “I explained that as a Pakeha I had a very limited relationship with the foreshore and seabed but “loved the beach” generally. This did not compare well to the 1000 years of whakapapa and site specific responsibilities that Betty and her hapu maintain to this day. Yet she had been refused a chance to speak. I also waved a copy of Te Tiriti around in a flamboyant manner.
    Betty talked very clearly about her people and their relationship to their foreshore and how Te Tiriti reaffirms their customary rights, therefore the Bill cannot pass. She is 71 years old and has given her whole life to kaitiakitanga. It was a privilege to be beside her. It was also great to have Tariana and Metiria at the table emanating their respect and love for her korero. From the window we could see across to Hauraki and Te Moehau the mountain shining on the horizon as she rises up from Tikapa Moana.
    Then Gordon Jackman, wearing his “qualified archaeologist” hat took the Committee on a journey from a beach of sand and shells through to the 1868 Deed of Cession on the East Coast, wherein the foreshore and seabed were never ceded. He explained how from the archaeological layers they uncovered at the Port of Gisborne, you can see people arriving, establishing manawhenua and adapting to population expansion from within their cultural framework, and then the violent imposition of Pakeha power in that place. Gordon challenged the committee to re assess their limited understanding of the term “ownership” and to recognise that the Bill was a continuation of Crown violence based on a crude and absurd underestanding of the word”ownership” He described the process as part of “democratheid” a word he has coined which describes the majority imposition of racist policy in a democrarcy. He also described the consequences as not civil war in the conventional sense but a long term proliferation of misery, poverty, misunderstanding and injustice.

    “The other MPs except for Tariana and Metiria, trotted out all the favourite myths about “they killed the moa” etc”
    http://www.greens.org.nz/misc-documents/diary-debacle-archive-6th-september-15th-september

    “I am very excited that we are moving into a more sophisticated era under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and we are moving beyond the limited concept of conservative Pākehā that one man, one vote is the only manifestation of democracy possible in Aotearoa.’
    http://www.greens.org.nz/speeches/more-sophisticated-era-under-te-tiriti-o-waitangi

    Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Green Party

    Kevin Hague MP
    “We are moving into a new phase of the collective national discussion about the Treaty, and as Greens we have a responsibility both to be an active and ethical voice in that discussion but also to work to equip others to participate in that discussion from an informed and principled basis, rather than sheer short term self interest.

    Discussion to date has focused on the return of usually a small fraction of those resources unfairly taken from Maori as reparation, on reducing inequalities and on the rights of Maori as an ethnic and cultural minority with a threatened language and culture. While some of these issues have been addressed in part through the deliberations of the Waitangi Tribunal, these issues are, in fact, largely unrelated to the Treaty. If there were no Treaty, as there is not in a number of other societies around the world, these would all still be issues that would need to be addressed in a fair and just society.

    The phase of the discussion that we now need to move into is one that that focuses on Maori status as the indigenous people of this country and on the actual content of the Treaty: a statement of the terms and conditions for the presence of non-Maori. The Maori right to self-determination pre-dated the Treaty and was not altered by it. What is at issue in understanding the Treaty are the rights of non-Maori.
    Let us be clear that the meaning of the Treaty must be determined from the Maori text. Those writers of angry letters to the editor who cite the plain cession of sovereignty of the English text and declare “game over” in fact ignore the law, which makes it the responsibility of the party offering a contract to ensure that the party accepting it fully understands it. If disputes arise, interpretations of the contract are to be made according to the understanding of the accepting party rather than the party that drew up the contract.

    This means that the Maori text of the Treaty, and the explanations of the meaning of the Treaty given to Maori before signing, determine the Treaty’s meaning, and the English text is essentially irrelevant. At the heart of this deal, the “tino Rangatiratanga” of Maori would be respected by the British Crown and Maori would have all the right of British subjects, in return for a cession of “kawanatanga”. Kawanatanga was a made up word, based on “kawana” (for Governor). Maori were familiar with this new word because it was the Maori word that had been coined to describe the role of Pontius Pilate in the translation of the Bible. Explanations given to Maori at the time of signing emphasised the role of this kawanatanga in curbing the excesses of Pakeha settlers and protecting Maori. In contrast the Biblical use of Rangatiratanga had been to describe the Kingdom of God.

    It is plain that sovereignty was not ceded by the Treaty, but rather Pakeha were given a basis for establishing government (of Pakeha). No wonder the historical record is of Maori disillusionment and anger since.

    Obviously the case can be argued in much more detail than this, but this is the essence. A typical response from Pakeha at this point is to dismiss this as all in the past, and assert the need to simply move on from where we are now, doing our best to achieve equity of outcome for all citizens, whose rights are to be assumed identical.

    As Greens, this is precisely what we cannot do. Such a position is unprincipled and unethical. Our responsibility is instead to grasp the nettle and, trusting to our integrity and to our belief in ethical process, to work through what a balance of Maori Rangatiratanga and Tauiwi Kawanatanga might mean in a modern society.

    Nineteenth century colonisation worked pretty well the same way the world over: a beach-head of traders and missionaries was established and stalling tactics like treaties used to negotiate a safe space for the colonisers while numerically fewer. The coloniser then increased military strength until it had superiority (sometimes misjudging this, or almost doing so, in fact), at which point the treaties could be set aside and power secured by force.

    In our determination to breathe life into our Charter’s commitment, guilt and hand-wringing are unhelpful. Our particular contribution must be a resolute determination to do what is right and our toolbox of Charter principles that equips us to step into a leadership in this new discussion. Now’s good.

    This article was printed in Te Awa, the Magazine of the Green Party of Aotearoa.”,
    ————
    Kevin Hague:
    One of jh’s themes has been dis-satisfaction with the Green Party for not being specific about the outcomes of our policy in relation to the Treaty. “What, specifically, will this country be like if we go down this course?”. It’s a question I have heard many times over the years, and it usually speaks from a position of fear and insecurity for Pakeha: what if I’ll be worse off? or even what if there’s no place for me?

    I want to acknowledge that actually we are asking people to do something (and we are doing it too) quite different from what we usually ask with our policy. Normally we have a very clear idea of the outcome we are seeking, and establish a policy to reflect how we will get there.

    But the Treaty is different. The words all have the potential to sound pretty hammy, but fundamentally the outcome being sought is a process: the process of absolute good faith negotiation, in which we Pakeha engage from a position of honour – acting ethically and morally.

    That process involves courage because we don’t know the outcome (and because we know we have it pretty sweet just how things are, let’s be honest). It is pretty scary, but it’s also pretty damn exciting!

    http://blog.greens.org.nz/2010/05/03/my-speech-at-blackball-2010/

    I dont think your right. We have been exposing the fact that income inequality appears to be a key driver behind a huge number of social problems and that therefore reducing that gap or “economic egalitarianism” if you’d rather, is a critical economic goal. But that is not itself sufficient and the truth is class politics never has been sufficient. Decolonisation in a colonised country is also a priority, as is gender equity, et al. I have never understood why people will only advocate for one single solution for what are complex problems that one solution will never fix.
    http://blog.greens.org.nz/2010/08/14/inequality-in-aotearoa-life-expectancy-again/#comment-144750

    Green MP David Clendon isn’t taking no for an answer over whether Maori have a right to a share in oil and gas under New Zealand’s continental shelf.
    Mr Clendon got the one-word answer last week when he asked Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee if the Government intended to consider Te Aupouri’s claims to resources off 90-Mile beach which are being opened up for prospecting.
    He doesn’t accept the Government’s assertion that the International law of the Sea and the Continental Shelf Act rule out treaty claims.
    “This is a very live issue and if there is wealth to be extracted it would seem clear both under treaty and under international law that Maori should get a reasonable claim, a reasonable royalty from that wealth,” Mr Clendon says.
    http://www.waatea.blogspot.com

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  28. Jimbob (622) Says:

    It was a pity Hilary Clinton didn’t win the Dems nomination instead of the Kenyan, she at least has SOME class and more important, some common sense. Obama is basically a sap.

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  29. nickb (2,206) Says:

    Good post hj. The Greens certainly have some warped views on the Treay.

    It is plain that sovereignty was not ceded by the Treaty, but rather Pakeha were given a basis for establishing government (of Pakeha).

    This is oft repeated, yet a complete falsity. A prominent Maori scholar (name escapes me) has even said “There is no doubt Maori knew they were ceding soveereignty to the Crown”.

    One of the main things I find most distasteful about the ongoing Treaty grievance process is how it has completely and utterly failed to improve the lot of the ordinary Maroi person. Tainui and Ngai Tahu are just two of many tribes who have gone about amassing huge business empires while their people linger at the bottom of every social statistic. Why can’t iwi take some responsiblity for their people’s problems? The only people that have won out of the reparation process have been iwi board members, treaty lawyers, and Maori “consultants” who price their services above anything they are possibly worth.

    Another thing I find curious is how many Maori (we will take Hone Harawira as an example) attempt to read the treaty down by saying Maori only ceded governance, and not soverignty (or kawanatanga, not “mana”). They will also claim that the treaty relationship between Maori and the Crown is equal, in the nature of a partnership.
    Then they will go ahead and file Treaty claims over pretty much everything possible, claiming amongst other things, the Crown has a duty to protect:

    Maori intellectual property in flora and fauna (when will Wai 262 ever be finished???)
    Maori control of radio waves
    The Maori language
    The Maori culture
    etc etc

    You cannot have it both ways.

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  30. Fletch (4,405) Says:

    eszett, you’ve never heard of Obama’s “apology tour” around Europe? Where have you been? “Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.” And then goes bowing to the Saudi King – the leader of the most powerful country in the world. Just do a google on “obama apologizes for america”

    ps, It was GWB’s decision to send 120,000 more troops (that the Dems didn’t want to do) that turned the tide over there.

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  31. Rodders (1,790) Says:

    Turia and Harawira – birds of a feather

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10684141

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  32. Fletch (4,405) Says:

    Jimbob, the Hillary supporters are not going to stand for the shit he pulled at the last election – the election fraud that went on.
    See a letter HERE from one supporter who was a Democrat for 32 years but no more.

    Meanwhile the Dems are continuing to cheat- the Left-wing unions are in charge of the voting machines, and voter fraud is rampant.

    Meanwhile again, the US State Department wishes Iran’s Ahmadinejad a happy birthday and hopes he will “open Iran to a different relationship with the world” Are they kidding? Really? These people are developing nuclear weapons while the US does nothing.

    Remember November

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  33. Tina Palin (21) Says:

    Look fetch, you’re quite right. Barrack Osama is anus horibilius, but Hilary would have been worser, far worser than him.

    Bill Clinton would have been yanking her dog collar all the time, thinking he was so superior because he had been POTUS and because he got all his learning on the road. Well, I went to 3 different universities so I guess that makes me a roads scholar too.

    But the important thing is to rememebr that we have a constitution and we have to have all these ammendments because people kept mussing it up and I want to ammend it too so that that VP is in charge of the Senate and can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes.

    Keep putting lipstick on the soccer mom’s pitbulls and we cannot lose.

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  34. Fletch (4,405) Says:

    Tina, I agree about Hillary – I didn’t like her either. But it’s good that a lot of the Hillary supporters won’t support Obama now. It’s like a Dem civil war.

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  35. nickb (2,206) Says:

    Tina,

    Can you name a US Supreme Court decision other than Roe v Wade?

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  36. Tina Palin (21) Says:

    I can name lots of them, all of them. Anyway, going through the history of this great state of ours, there are, you know, there’d be others. Row verses wade was just the first.

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  37. nickb (2,206) Says:

    I can name lots of them, all of them. Anyway, going through the history of this great state of ours, there are, you know, there’d be others. Row verses wade was just the first.

    hahaha. Is there any that you can think of?

    Redbaiter arriving in 5…4…4…3…2…1

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  38. Kris K (3,570) Says:

    eszett 2:47 pm,

    I am sure Obama is worried sick that he doesn’t have the respect of some nutbars like you and Kris K.

    Well maybe not so much our respect, but yeah, he’s worried as hell about “nutbars” like us – nutbars like us will be kicking his arse out of the Whitehouse anytime soon.

    On the other hand, “nutbars” like you, Eszett, are just a waste of good oxygen; you offer no arguments, no opinions, and certainly contribute nothing of a constructive nature. And as you mentioned “respect”, I doubt many here have any for you.

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  39. WebWrat (516) Says:

    http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2010/10/democrat-civil-war.html

    Great post Fletch, thanks for that.
    Excellent example of the leftards eating their own young.

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  40. Manolo (10,204) Says:

    “Either John Key or the Coastal Coalition are telling lies of the most fantastic proportions.”

    Key is lying and selling out NZ in an attempt to keep the racist Maori Party on his side.
    The saddest part of all is that National supporters are too afraid to oppose him on his surrendering to extreme Maori claims. Are they cowards or what?

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  41. jaba (1,939) Says:

    “If Minto shows up at the rowing world champs to protest Israel competing” .. from seamonkey
    I have tried to check .. is it true that Israel is represented because if they are, then Minto MUST protest .. please

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  42. dad4justice (7,339) Says:

    Maybe the keystone cops could give Minto a bar every time the rowers dip their oars?

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  43. WebWrat (516) Says:

    As men and women who have chosen to be neither predator nor prey, we have the brains and the tools to take advantage of our foes’ weaknesses. But make no mistake: just as on the rolling plains of old, any failure to detect and defend against today’s predators will lead to our demise. If the human wolves succeed, then all is lost. The traditional values, attitudes, beliefs, and practices of our American culture will remain only as moldering dead reminders of our country’s former greatness. ****Mark Spungin

    http://www.washingtonreb.com/

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  44. jaba (1,939) Says:

    are Annette Sykes, Margaret Mutu and Hone Harawira related

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  45. nickb (2,206) Says:

    are Annette Sykes, Margaret Mutu and Hone Harawira related

    Ony in racism and low IQ jaba

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  46. Hurf Durf (2,860) Says:

    Tina Palin (4) Says:
    October 30th, 2010 at 9:41 am

    Hahahahah. Is the International Left really going that batshit about Ebola’s impending whipping on Wednesday? Ezzie Babe et al will be weeping into their 2008 Election commemorative pillows.

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  47. Rodders (1,790) Says:

    Winston Peters said on One News tonight that there is a growing ‘NZ First On Campus.’
    Presumably, it is merely U3A after a name change.

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  48. joana (1,811) Says:

    Hillary is a crook and a hypocrite…How many times did she and Bill sell those sections??

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  49. joana (1,811) Says:

    No Rodders..there is a NZfirst group at AK uni..

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  50. Rex Widerstrom (4,971) Says:

    Yeah Rodders, there’s some members of NZF who are much younger than the norm. For instance I snapped a pic of one young hipster as he sped by checking the branch meeting directions on his GPS.

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  51. big bruv (11,255) Says:

    So the All Blacks lost…….let the wife beating begin!

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  52. Nookin (2,520) Says:

    Stephen Donald is not up to international standard. Stephen Donald has never been up to international standard. Stephen Donald will never be up to international standard. SO WHY THE FUCK WON’T SOMEONE TELL GRAEME HENRY??????????????

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  53. big bruv (11,255) Says:

    Settle down Nookin..

    It’s just a game of footy, it’s not like it matters.

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  54. Nookin (2,520) Says:

    Thanks BB. I’ll take my meds and go to bed. (Slade is better, though)

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  55. the bird is the word (69) Says:

    It’s just a game of footy, it’s not like it matters.

    You sound like a true kiwi

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  56. TripeWryter (715) Says:

    Big Bruv: it does, it does, it does. The nation’s sanity depends on it.

    Anyway, it wasn’t all Stephen Donald’s fault. When the All Blacks were leading 24-12 Henry decided to make various substitutions that had an effect on the team’s play.
    Toeava, who, for some reason, they rate. Hopeless.

    I like Stephen Donald; all the hacks and others who know him class him as a thoroughly decent human being. But he should have ensured that clearing kick off the deadball line went into touch, rather into Australian hands for them to run back at the All Blacks.

    I like James O’Connor, too. He seems impossibly young to be out there on the paddock, but he is well on the way to being one of the great stars of the game, and not just for tonight’s triumph.

    The Wallabies showed guts.

    And who is to say that the All Blacks’ defeat tonight won’t lead to some husband-beating ….

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  57. Manolo (10,204) Says:

    These are three perennial favourites of Henry: Toeava, Donald, and Rokococo. He must see something in them and I doubt will ever change his mind. Toeava and Donald are journeymen of not true All Black material.

    Leaving the talented Slade behind and choosing Donald instead is unforgivable.

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  58. hj (4,089) Says:

    there was an item on the wealth gap between rich and poor on Radio NZ World Watch this morning:

    Even if the gap were only as big as stated, the disparity would still give cause for concern. Taiwan experienced positive economic growth from 1998 to 2007, except for a brief interlude of negative growth in 2001. The 62-factor gap means wealth distribution in Taiwan has become completely decoupled from economic development. The fruits of economic growth have been pocketed by a few, and Taiwan’s distorted tax system has played a pivotal role in concentrating wealth instead of distributing it.
    http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2009/06/26/2003447125

    Some economists have previously warned of the impact that closer ties with China will have on income distribution in Taiwan, which was once one of East Asia’s most equal societies.
    http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_business/view/1076185/1/.html

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  59. Nookin (2,520) Says:

    Donald : two kicks (one stab and one downfield) giving away possession exactly when Aussie backs were getting on top and we needed to keep it in the forwards, missed penalty, failure to kick for touch with 30 seconds to go and ineffectual head-high takle in movement leading up to the try. Five critical errors in 20 minutes does not make an international inside back, thoroughly decent chap as I am sure he is. However many ITM games did he have following injury – 3 or 4? And didn’t they include Otago, Manawatu and one of the other also rans? Testing stuff.

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  60. hj (4,089) Says:

    The Greens claim an ethical approach to the treaty aided (I suspect) by an ideology which believes in an airy-fairy form of indigenous socialism.
    The ethical rules may apply within an established society but not necessarily with regard to distinct populations, especially given that at the time of signing the treaty there were 2000 Europeans and up to 100,000 Maori . What the Greens are arguing for implies that we recognize Maori as being existing owners of every inch of tribal territory as at the beginning of colonization minus legitimately purchased private property (from now until the next asteroid ).

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  61. Rodders (1,790) Says:

    Rex said “I snapped a pic of one young hipster as he sped by checking the branch meeting directions on his GPS”

    Thanks, it looks like the head of the NZ First Youth Branch :)

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  62. bhudson (3,677) Says:

    hj,

    Great post above.

    Does Delahunty elaborate on what “adapting to population expansion from within their cultural framework” means? I am assuming she means it to be: unbridled inter-tribal warfare, intra-tribal political maneuvering by force and perhaps also references to cannibalism.

    Kevin Hague is something of a laugh trying to claim that law of contract interprets contracts on the basis of the party to whom the offer is made. He compounds his disingenuity further by not only stating that means that the Maori language text is the only valid reference, but also using as examples words that were created by Maori after settlement to try to give meaning to English works – the Bible. So words that never existed and were created to try to give some understanding to English words and context, which were also not fully understood, are somehow more valid than the source words they are a translation of?

    I don’t think the Greens actually help in the advancing the cause of Maori at all. With friends like that, who needs opponents?

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