July 26, 2020
The political calculations at Ihumaatao
Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury: Activists who have bravely protested the obscenity at Ihumatao are frustrated and angry at the lack of public process.
The frustration is understandable but short-sighted.
Judith Collins continued attack on any suggestion that sees the State step in and buy the land back alongside her demands for that solution to be made public before the election should all be red flags to everyone who wants a just outcome.
Judith's ability to understand the lesser angels of our nature and manipulate them to dark outcomes are as well-honed as Don Brash's when he launched his infamous 'Orewa Speech'.
Judith has already established her talking points that any solution risks undermining previous agreements and this argument could spook voters into another Orewa Speech stampede if the perception of angry Māori taking back stolen land gets sown into the publics short term memory.
The reality is that a new generation of activist sees the pittance paid out in the treaty process as exacerbating the original injustice, not healing it. Honouring the treaty isn't about paying lipservice to stolen land of the past, it is a living breathing ongoing relationship and that interpretation terrifies National voters.
And some Labour voters.
I believe Jacinda when she says she wants a solution to Ihumātao, but in my opinion, the smart political calculation here is to announce it after the election, not hand Judith the ammunition she will use to block it.
Martyn Bradbury
Editor – TheDailyBlog.nz
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