By Patrick Gower
Cannon fire and a sinking waka; today was the calmer day at Waitangi. There was even something rather touching, something not usually allowed.
Trouble in the waka and a bit of a sinking feeling; the very memories that John Key will take back to Wellington from this year’s Waitangi. The waka made it home, everyone was safe and Mr Key is claiming the same will be true of asset sales.
"In our view, the mixed ownership model forms part of making the waka go faster," Mr Key said to a Waitangi audience.
The day started with prayers, celebrations and protest.
One was actually directed at the Harawira family. A lone protester calling its matriarch Titewhai a 'kupapa', or traitor, and asking why she was acting as if she was the queen.
But there was of course more to come - directed at the Government.In a gesture of reconciliation the protestors were allowed to touch the flagpole.
Protestor Levi Bristow says they came in peace and had "a little bit of a scuffle" and some "verbal words" but left in peace.
And the pressure over its plans to scrap the Treaty clause called Section 9 just continues to rise.
The Maori Party is now calling on tribes around the country to take court action aimed at stopping asset sales because they are inconsistent with the Treaty.
"The whole notion about selling off those assets is inconsistent and therefore its appropriate iwi take court action to test the law,” says Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell.
Mr Key says "we are the Government and we will operate within the law".
"So if the courts slow us down, they slow us down."
The opposition says the Maori Party should just stop talking and walk. Labour Party leader David Shearer says the Maori Party has the ability to pull away from this coalition with the National Party and "create much more of a bargaining situation" than putting others up to take court action.
Mana Party leader Hone Harawira says he does not think Maori people are going to "stand for that".
"So Tari, Pete, Te Ururoa, honourable thing; walk."
John Key talked it up in te reo and as for David Shearer, well, he has a dream. He wants Kiwis to say “Happy Waitangi”, “just like we say Merry Christmas".
Because even though protestors may wish it was, Waitangi Day really is not all about them.
It is for all New Zealanders.
3 News
source: newshub archive
