Fourth term Rotorua Lakes councillor Mike McVicker and Tauranga-based NZ First MP Clayton Mitchell say they support the views of the lobby group ‘Hobson's Pledge'.

The group, fronted by former National Party leader Don Brash, has been established to end perceived privileges for Maori over non-Maori.

The Tino Rangitira flag. Photo: Supplied.

The group is asking New Zealanders to use their vote in upcoming local body elections to support candidates opposed to ‘separatism and race-based privilege'.

The group names itself after Governor William Hobson's famous remark at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi: 'He iwi tahi tatou” – "We are now one people”.

Hobson's Pledge encourages people to support 'any party that would vote against all laws, regulations and policies that provide for any entitlement based on ancestry or ethnicity”.

The group takes issue with the Treaty of Waitangi, arguing the Treaty 'did not create a ‘partnership' between Maori and the Crown”.

Hobson's Pledge claims there is no longer any need for the Waitangi Tribunal, or any special Maori representation in government, at either a local or national level.

Mike McVicker's support is influenced by what he sees as local symptoms of a national problem.

'We have a local issue here with the Te Arawa partnership proposal. In May 2013, the mayor indicated she was going to come up with an accommodation for local iwi to have unelected representation, with voting rights, around the council table,” says Mike.

'I have consistently voted against backdoor entries of that nature. I'm standing again in this current election, and one of my billboard headlines is ‘Restore Democracy – No Race-based Appointments', which is a principle shared by Hobson's Pledge.”

Clayton Mitchell says he agrees with the essence of Hobson's Pledge.

'New Zealand First strongly believes race-based laws have no place in society. Any system where a legal privilege is given to someone because of their birth right or the colour of their skin is nothing short of separatism, racism, or apartheid.

"I absolutely support any group acknowledging the fact that you cannot give someone a privilege based on the colour of their skin.

'New Zealand First is colour-blind when it comes to dealing with people, their problems and their needs. We treat everybody equally and so should the law.”

However, Tauranga MP Simon Bridges doubts Hobson's Pledge will gain much traction.

'I certainly don't want to see separatism or favouritism on the basis of race. But I think if you look at the track record of the National government, you'll find that hasn't been what we've done.

"We've been very careful to be even-handed and balanced in our approach, and I don't think the issues Hobson's Pledge and Don Brash have brought up are going to have the traction they once would have,” says Simon.

Waiariki MP and Maori Party leader Te Ururoa Flavell also believes the group will not have much of an impact.

'I'd like to think most reasonable people will see through the rhetoric, and have a real willingness to engage on the issues that really matter,” says Te Ururoa.

'I urge Don and his supporters to take a leaf out of our new Governor General's book. If our Head of State has no difficulty understanding that the Treaty is a partnership between the Crown and Maori, then I can't see why it should be different for anyone else.”

More details on Hobson's Pledge can be found here.