I was recently interviewed by award-winning journalist Moana Maniapoto alongside the very tall and intelligent Max Harris for Te Ao Moana about Pākehā perspectives on the proposed Tiriti principles Bill. I cheekily offered an opinion on behalf of our Pākehā peeps.
Thanks to Moana and the team for an interesting day in the field. Moana thanks for inspiring the movement that is Tiriti based futures + Anti-racism with your twitter magic. Max may our paths cross frequently - I love how you can just drop facts and figures effortlessly into the kōrero to illustrate your arguments.
I look forward, as I say in the interview, to a national conversation about what does the stage one WAI 1040 - the Ngāpuhi Waitangi Tribunal report mean to our country. What does it mean in practical terms that Māori never ceded sovereignty? Contrary to Hon Chris Finlayson's statements in 2014 in his classic Crown media release Crown Still in Charge I think we need to have more constructive kōrero as we get ready for Matike Mai based constitutional transformation.
I know that Professor Dominic O'Sullivan has written about this and kaumātua Hone Sadler but we need a wider and deeper informed debate that occurs in a way middle New Zealand can join the conversation from a place not clouded with misinformation and fake news.
It may be a long road but I think talking about WAI 1040 seems far more interesting and fruitful than revisiting Treaty principles again. Last time I checked we already have over 54 in circulation I don't think we need any more when Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the authorative Māori text) is a one-page document that we can all read our selves. Thanks to Margaret Mutu for her translation.