Commentary 16 - The Waitangi Treaty

 Commentary 16 - The Waitangi Treaty

(written by Warren Maloney on 6th February 2023)
Today in NZ they celebrate with their annual public holiday based on the 1840 Treaty between the Maoris and the British, known as the Waitangi Treaty.
There are many interpretations of the catalyst for the Treaty from fear of the French, to the rights of the Conquering British, to the failure to beat the Maoris in battles, to a special new approach influenced by the Protestant Missionaries. If you are interested , this is worth reading - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Waitangi
The respect for the commitments of the Treaty has varied greatly over the last 182 years but it is fair to say that the respect is highest in NZ now and Maori Culture and Power is integral to NZ Governance.
I raise this thought process for another reason as OZ this year will consider a Referendum to give our First Nations people a permanent and distinct Voice of Collaboration, a Voice (because of its Constitutional inclusion if passed) that cannot be removed by the ruling political party. Naturally, the racists, the rusted-on Conservatives, and the Murdoch Press, are opposed. In addition, some radicals within the young Indigenous want a Truth Commission and a Treaty before supporting the Voice Referendum.
It is a very significant moment in Australia. I can remember the 1967 Referendum which recognised for the first time the rights of First Nations people to vote. The same racists and Conservatives opposed it but it was rightly successful.
Just the same as in the USA when considering its First Nations people, our Indigenous currently have shorter life spans through health challenges, forced separation of their children, over-representation in the prisons, grossly inadequate housing and services, equally inadequate education opportunities, imposed management of their finances and lifestyles, daily racism assaults verbally personally and throughout social media, separation in treatment at sporting and community clubs, and barriers in our law because of its adversarial nature.
2023 will be watched closely in Australia.



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