Why should I support it?
The Treaty Settlements are almost completed. For the wellbeing of everyone it was paramount that the Treaty Settlements were put to rest, so we could get on with being one people.
We are all equal before the law, and for we women this was an important principle, otherwise we women would not be where we are today in this country. Hobson did a great service to Maori and to women. Think about it, while England took till after WW1 to give women the right to vote. Hobson gave Maori men the right to vote 27 years before we women did. But then we women led the world when we were granted the same right as men.
Today being equal before the law is something none of us should take for granted, and nor should our Court Judges.
However, what I find so disturbing is that whilst settling Treaty Settlements the Govt has chosen to give co governance to the very heart of our democratic process, ie. Local Government.
Men and women do not just have to stand for election every 3 years, and go back to our constituents for approval through the ballot box, we have to fund that ourselves. So why on earth would the Govt allow individuals to go there as of right because of some tribal affiliation. It is putting in place a system to guarantee the destruction of our democracy. No Govt should have that right.
It is true that Maori are the victims of much that is wrong in society, but the more money that is transferred from Govt coffers it does nothing to help ordinary Maori. Instead it is creating a wealthy Maori elite who could not care less about ordinary people, especially their own.
In the Bay of Plenty we have serious areas of deprivation and local government is the only body with the ability to identify and help. We have to go cap in hand too central govt to beg for their financial support to help is these deprived areas.
  National standards are put in place by Central Government, but no financial support comes with that requirement, to help local Govt, and it certainly isn’t coming from Maori elite.
Treaty settlements—complete them, and then let’s get on and be New Zealanders where we all look out for each other. We all enjoy the right to stand for election; we all have the right. It is not that long ago we had no women in elected positions, now we are there but not in great numbers. Today we have more Maori than ever before in elected positions. So let us not destroy democracy on the pretext that we are doing anyone a favour. If this does not stop, the Govt will have successfully established an Apartheid Country. That is not what I want for my Country.