In response to M Ketu:
NZ is not as you claim, a bi-cultural nation, nor, despite much effort has it yet become a mono-cultural one. It is and for the present at least remains, multi-cultural. I suggest you need to look around at the multitude of ethnicities around you as you seem to be in denial. Do these people have any social status in your world?
The treaty as signed became increasingly obsolete within just a few decades as society evolved along paths and complexities that while reasonably obvious, eg intermarriage, could never be factored into a simple paper hastily drafted to reflect a snapshot view of a situation as it existed in 1840. The now discredited version (an incorrect translation) used to justify the resource grab over the last 30 years has been further corrupted with poorly construed interpretations and fraud added to by successive governments, agencies and Iwi organisations with little or no basis in moral and factual integrity. The same is true of most of the ‘settlements' of the last 30 years. Although even this incorrect treaty version has as its basis the clear understanding that all inhabitants are to be treated in a consistent manner with the same rights and responsibilities, this foundation principle has been ignored in our modern times.
I have a significantly disabled young son. He is denied any funding by the Education Department for assistance at school despite achieving at year1-2 level in a year 5 class. This impacts negatively not only on him, but also his teachers and fellow pupils. He is also now denied any ED funding for health and safety assistance at school despite a long history of serious injuries incurred due to his condition. The most recent 2 weeks ago resulted in a half day hospital stay and a CAT scan. Local MP's such as Tony Ryall and Simon Bridges have washed their hands of him and many others, deferring to the bureaucrats in Wellington who when contacted play a recording stating ‘there is no money available'. This is the same department that spends millions of dollars funding and advertising courses at Universities and Polytechnics (eg see this paper) to teach ‘Maori' to be ‘more Maori'. If my son was born of a different ethnicity he would have agencies tripping over themselves to assist him. Unfortunately my wife and I are White so we/he are classed as of inferior status and unworthy. Of the massive level and amount of taxes that my family and business has and continues to pay for over 30 years, nothing is available to aid my son. It has/is being spent on ‘Treaty Settlements', ‘Treaty Investigation', ‘Treaty Grants', ‘Cultural Issues' and ‘Cultural Education' with nothing left for second rate citizens and situations such as ours.
Such is the brave and ever braver New World of M. Ketu. We should all be so proud. But then again according to M. Ketu rather than complain, I should just hand over the remainder of what I have and leave my country. Zimbabwe anyone?
Mike Kuipers von Lande, Tauranga.