I would like to emphasis some very valid points Dr. Elizabeth Rata makes in her article entitled 'Treaty no longer symbol of national unity”. The first stage of iwi politics began in the late 1980s with the reinterpretation of the Treaty as a so-called 'partnership”.
This saw the insertion of partnership principles into almost all New Zealand legislation. We are currently in the second stage - one that is hotting up with proposals before the Hauraki Gulf Forum for 'co-governance” of the Gulf. This will cement in the so-called Treaty partnership and justify a place for the Treaty within a New Zealand Constitution.
Those who object to this, and I am one of these, do so for two strong reasons. Co-governance establishes a political system where the power and authority of one party, iwi, is unchallengeable.
That party is not appointed by the people and is not therefore accountable to the people. The undemocratic nature of co-governance is made worse by the criteria for belonging to the Treaty partner. Membership of iwi is fixed in genetic ancestry. Unlike democracy which allows for all comers, a group whose membership is fixed in the past has no room for newcomers.
The Treaty partnership model of co-governance will subvert the fundamental principles of democracy. Democracy is a political system of equality no matter what your heritage, and a system of accountability no matter what your race or religion. As equal citizens each of us can call our political leaders to account. If iwi as Treaty partner was co-governor we could not do so.”
Dr Rata makes it quite clear that if the Treaty were enshrined in our constitution then the democratic process as we know it would be dead in this country. Democracy in this country is already on the decline and the casting of the submissions to The Seabed & Foreshore Act into the Trash Can by Chris Finlayson is just one example of this. The majority of New Zealanders simply cannot afford to have their democratic rights stolen away from them. They can go to the 'Coastal Coalition”website to cast a vote on this issue .

Margaret Hills, Tauranga.