Brash as you like

Don Brash will be in town this week to talk about Hobson’s Pledge. Supplied photo.

Don Brash wants to end race-based policies in New Zealand – and he's not apologising for it.

The former Reserve Bank governor and politician is coming to Tauranga for a public discussion about Hobson's Pledge, the movement aiming to end perceived Maori separatism.

The group received a bruising from the media on their debut last month, which Don says echoes the reaction to his famous Orewa speech in 2004.

'The mainstream media were very hostile, but the benefit was we got an enormous amount of coverage,” says Don.

'The extent of the coverage this time around was better than we could have dreamt possible. Yes, a lot of it was very negative, although not all of it.

'In the Bay of Plenty, for example, where I spend a bit of time these days, almost everybody I speak to agrees with me.”

Don says Hobson's Pledge has been called ‘racial intolerant', despite their ambition to see all races equal under the law.

'We want the same political rights for all New Zealanders, regardless of when they or their ancestors came to New Zealand.”

He wants to scrap the Maori seats, but supports Maori Television, because 'it's an important way of preserving the culture”.

'But it's not our only culture,” says Don.

He says he went to a grandparents' day concert at his grandchildren's North Shore primary school, where most of the pupils were of European or Asian descent.

However, every single item performed was Maori.

'I have absolutely no problem acknowledging Maori culture,” says Don. 'But I worry the impression created at that school was Maori culture is New Zealand's only culture.”

Politics aside, the name of the group has often been confused with ‘Hobson's Choice': a situation in which there is no real choice at all. For example, take it or leave it. Some might see this as ironic, but Don reveals it was actually their original name for the group.

'Initially, we called it ‘Hobson's Choice', and it had two meanings. Firstly, it was what Governor Hobson chose for New Zealand, in a sense, making us one people.

'But its second meaning referred to the fact that, at the time, there was only one political party sharing the message. So in that sense, there was a political ‘Hobson's Choice' – for example, no choice.

'Then we discovered ‘Hobson's Choice' was the name of a bacon company. So we couldn't use it,” laughs Don.

He believes there is a lot of support in Tauranga for this 'political movement” – and he's hoping for a high turnout.

The free public meeting is at Hotel Armitage from 1:30pm-2:30pm. For more information, visit: www.hobsonspledge.nz or contact Bonnie Leonard 0274933878.

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15 comments

The M word

Posted on 22-11-2016 10:50 | By surfsup

In this day of P.C it's not difficult to understand where Mr Brash is coming from. You only have to attend any school prize giving now to see how anything Maori is deemed acceptable normally at the expense of non Maori items. Sadly if any parent dares raise the issue they are immediately labelled a redneck. We have many cultures in our schools and a balance needs to be found, Mr Brash taps into a bubbling sense of resentment which will always be a dangerous place to venture into, but at least he is not afraid to go there.


Good luck!

Posted on 22-11-2016 11:40 | By Bay Citizen

I wish him well in his laudable aims. A year ago, I would have said that it was an impossible dream, but the Brexit result and the election of Trump shows that ordinary people have had enough of being forced to accept PC nonsense. Now, anything is possible.


IT IS NOT TONIGHT

Posted on 22-11-2016 11:42 | By Colleen Spiro

IT IS NOT TONIGHT.....It is today at 1.30pm.....wonder if that was deliberate, if they just want to preach to the converted.


NO REDNECK STUDENTS

Posted on 22-11-2016 11:47 | By Colleen Spiro

Luckily for our schools our children are less redneck than the parents... I wonder if Don Brash and his cronies would like to have some of the priviledge that some Maori have of homelessness, racism, poverty, etc etc etc....because all they have ever known is elite white privledge.


choo choo its the treaty gravy train

Posted on 22-11-2016 12:01 | By Captain Sensible

The teacher I argued with at my kids school said that NZ was bi-cultural and all things maori were good for everybody. The haka is now the most important school activity. Apparently, according to her, white people used to keep maori slaves!!!!! Schools are no longer learning institutions but indoctrination centres where lies and half truths are perpetuated to keep the treaty gravy train choo chooing along.


Colleen

Posted on 22-11-2016 16:02 | By surfsup

Oh dear yet another sack cloth wearing, self flogging, liberal white who blames all Maori failures on society and doesn't seem to either realize or accept that perhaps making excuses for failure hides any notion of self responsibility. There are plenty of successful Maori business people that have gone through the system and come out the other side with no harm done.


@Surfsup

Posted on 22-11-2016 16:40 | By Colleen Spiro

Did you drag yourself away from your keyboard long enough to go to the meeting.....bet you were one of those people jeering at the lone voice who was brave enought to challenge some stats and question them.....I have it all on video if you were too lazy to get off your backside. It is really interesting what people say to you at a meeting like that, when they ASS-U-ME that you think the same racist thoughts as them.....felt sick leaving the meeting, but was heartened, that most of them were old white people, whom, like I overheard one chap say....he reckons Don is pushing shite up hill and that he will not be around to see any change....


@ Colleen Spiro

Posted on 22-11-2016 16:50 | By Captain Sensible

Name ONE race based legal white privilege. Just one. There are hundreds of race based privileges....but they are only available to maori. So come on, name one! Of course you want the status quo so you can enjoy your race based privileges but I refuse my second class status. BTW, that 'lone voice' was a university indoctrinated mouthpiece regurgitating all the PC lies she needed to remember to pass her Uni course.


Pakeha domination of politics and society is white privilege

Posted on 22-11-2016 19:09 | By Peter Dey

Captain Sensible asks for one legal white privilege and there is none because there is no need for it. Parliament, the health system, police, the legal system, the education system, social welfare are all dominated by Pakeha in charge. That is the privilege that all white people have. In school the teachers are mostly more capable at getting the best out of Pakeha students. That is the privilege that white children have. The small amount of consideration now given to Maori culture takes nothing from Pakeha at all. It is simply an effort to make society more fair. Maori are owed $50 billion for land taken by the Government. They are getting $3 billion compensation. Why not full compensation? Because a Pakeha Government makes the rules.


Correction and apology

Posted on 22-11-2016 19:10 | By Peter B

So Don says "In the Bay of Plenty, for example, where I spend a bit of time these days, almost everybody I speak to agrees with me. I can't ignore this. (1) Don: don't you dare pretend to speak for the majority, and certainly never, ever for me (2) I want to apologise to my wonderful Maori friends, who have welcomed me, a Brit, into your communities and enriched my life so much, for this. Most of us don't agree, and for me I stand against this with every breath. Kia kaha, together.


@ Bonneville

Posted on 23-11-2016 09:01 | By Captain Sensible

What part of the word "almost" do you not understand?


Peter & Peter

Posted on 23-11-2016 09:01 | By Anbob

Peter D, where did you get $50 billion from? Alaska was sold to America around the same time for $7.2 million. None of those positions/institutions you mentioned are managed by race-based systems, I think you might find that Maori fill around 15% or more of the top jobs in the country. Nobody, as far as I know, doesnt want to support Maori culture or help those that are struggling (of any race). This is all about race privilege in law. Mr Bonneville, Mr Brash does speak for the silent majority, you just have to see what happened with the constitutional conversation. That is why the govt would not have a referendum on the Treaty. They would lose their coalition partner. Tell me, Peter D & Mr Bonneville do you really want law-based privilege for Maori. Peter D, I may have asked you this before.


respect

Posted on 23-11-2016 11:23 | By Captain Sensible

The rude woman calling everyone "silly old fogies"....have some manners towards people who do not agree with your opinion. Nobody would go onto a marae and insult the maori there so show a little respect. Seems typical of the arrogance of people wanting race based privileges. And to the maori man intimidating people with a camera, same goes to you too.


Colleen

Posted on 23-11-2016 12:20 | By surfsup

No I was not at the meeting, was working in order to pay my taxes to the government. As always if anyone dares to point certain things Mr Dey pipes up with the same old rhetoric of $$$$$$ etc etc. The truth is the whole process has been hijacked by the brown elite who obtain large sums of money but seem unable to pass this on to those that need it .Teachers get more out of white students, I would respectfully suggest that all students can get the same out of all the lessons if they come with the right attitude. Still as long as we have the likes of Peter and Colleen in the Maori corner all failures can and will be laid at the feet of the dreadful white people.


surfsup ignoring facts

Posted on 23-11-2016 17:31 | By Peter Dey

It is a fact that cultural differences make a difference to relationships. Maori students do less well with Pakeha teachers than Pakeha students do. Surfsup can blame the students but most rational people can see that there is still more fixing to do with the school system. Local Maori received $50 million which could earn $2 million a year. Share that among 10,000 local Maori and that is $200 each. Blaming Maori leaders because Maori are not getting rich on $200 a year is just an ignorant smear.


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