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Andrea & David's avatar

Kia ora Bex

Tautoko this.

Sadly, this is an excellent summary of what we are facing.

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Denise Davis's avatar

Excellent piece! Beware it is not only ACT, but NZF who support this rhetoric. NZF wants to hold a referendum!

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Dr Bex's avatar

Ah yes, good point! Sneaky NZF.

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Dan's avatar

Nail on the head. It’s not about equal rights, this already exists and is misleading/dishonest to say otherwise. It’s about being able to further exploit resources whilst completely denigrating the founding agreement, signed in trust between representatives of the indigenous people of Aotearoa, and the crown, representing the new people wanting to live here, allowing for the establishment of the government to make laws leading to the progressive society we can be proud of today. This agreement contained clear provisions about the importance to protect the unique and sacred treasures of the country, history, and culture agreeing to utilise a collaborative approach to their guardianship.

Seymour is pushing colonialism and white supremacy 101.

He’s an expert shyster manufacturing a highly emotive topic to stir up racism and tribalism to ensure this becomes the national conversation, to take up the ear-waves, to distract from his actual objective, ie the dispossession of the country’s assets away from the general population, into the select hands of his greedy, entitled, wealthy donor mates.

Whilst doing so, his well funded lies risks tearing the fabric of this country apart.

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Janine's avatar

Tautoko Dan and Dr Bex.

In addition to the shameful spreaders of dis and mis information, is drumroll please….Brian Tamaki and his Destiny thugs on bikes! I was wondering what hole he was hiding in. I get it, when ACT apologised to Destiny Church and supported their grift for Charter school funding, Brian became Seymour’s weaponised Maori on a motorbike. It was repulsive to see Tamaki and co, and I wondered who exactly were they representing? Supporting Trump to boot - urgh, so gross.

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Dr Bex's avatar

It's so cringe, seeing a church leader let himself be so nakedly used and weaponised in this way.

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stephen blyth's avatar

ACT and other Atlas aligned groups may have money, but I see very little evidence that they've got much support for their fringe positions. Most people in Aotearoa believe that conversations about Te Tiriti o Waitangi require more careful listening and understanding, and less political rhetoric. This was a finding from a survey by Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission.

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Keith Simes's avatar

Agreed, the response will be a mixture of extreme nastiness on a personal level, and well funded gaslighting through our complicit media. Everyone who has had contact with the hikoi and the joy and determination expressed must spread the message - a chance for genuine people power to turn the tide…

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Dr Bex's avatar

I feel like the joy and solidarity is needed to shore ourselves up and prepare for what is coming over the next six months as National, ACT, and NZF work hard to shift public opinion

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David Collins's avatar

Thank you for this, Bex, it's sobering - a timely reminder and warning.

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Suzi's avatar

Thank you for stating so clearly what I have been thinking.

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Shilo Kino's avatar

Thank you e hoa, appreciated this piece 🤎

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Dr Bex's avatar

You are more than welcome xx

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PixieMatt's avatar

Oh fuck!

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