Steve Baron: Bigots do Maori a disservice

JUST a day or two into the job and the new Whanganui District Council chief executive Kym Fell was already under attack for suggesting that commercial relations with iwi offer a prime opportunity for Whanganui - that is, if a letter to the editor of this paper is anything to go by.

Or perhaps this was simply a ruse and an opportunity by a particularly bigoted sector of our community who just love to take any opportunity to Maori bash.

Maori bashing is not uncommon - I hear it quite often from my fellow pakeha.

They are usually the uninformed, close-minded, uneducated, and of an older generation. Thankfully, a new and more informed generation is slowly taking their place. Unfortunately these people do not seem to be able to put themselves in the shoes of others.

To them, we are all New Zealanders and should all be treated the same. We all went to the same schools and, therefore, we all had the same opportunities - so they believe. Although Maori may have had access to the same education system as pakeha, some have done poorly, just as some pakeha have done poorly. Maori and Pasifika peoples have, however, struggled disproportionately to others when it comes to education.

Perhaps this has its roots in repression or a different style of learning? However, this, and the growing income inequality in New Zealand has created a growing underclass, with Maori and Pasifika peoples representing a disproportionate share of that.

This leads to high unemployment and minimum wage low-skilled jobs, which barely allow them to survive. This often creates a discontent between the "haves and the have-nots" that manifests itself in society through crime, drugs, alcohol and poor health.

This is why these people need extra help, be they Maori, Pasifika or any other race.

It is what we do as a benevolent society and if we do not do it we will pay the price in some other form. This is why special funding is important if we are to make a difference. It should not be race-based but the fact is that Maori and Pasifika peoples tend to be those who need help the most.

Nor are my pakeha acquaintances racist, so they think, because they have "Maori friends".

They see no reason why Maori should be treated any differently or receive any government/council representation or financial support. These people fail to understand the frustration Maori have experienced since pakeha first arrived, and - more importantly - since the Treaty of Waitangi was signed (by some chiefs, not all).

Maori are our Treaty partners and deserve to be treated as partners, not as one of "us" or second-class citizens. They may indeed have more pakeha blood in their veins through inter-marriage but if a person chooses to relate to their Maori heritage more than their pakeha heritage, that is their right. This is no different than a New Zealander of Irish descent choosing to relate to that Irish heritage more than their New Zealand heritage.

The intention of the Treaty was to safeguard British interests, protect Maori from the inevitable consequences of depopulation and extinction. It was to encourage the rapid and peaceful amalgamation of the races and to ensure there was self-government.

But there is one aspect the bigots fail to accept about the signing of the Treaty - Maori perception of what they were signing was quite different to that of the Crown. Maori did not believe they were giving up the right to their land or their rivers.

Maori were cheated out of vast amounts of their land, some of it confiscated without compensation. When angered at their treatment, Maori fought back and many were killed.

They have had to fight for their rights for centuries and only now are the injustices being remedied. How would you feel if you were unjustly treated, protested, and then the Government turned up and did this to your family?

Yes, Treaty settlements have gone on for too long which frustrates all parties. The bottom line is that issues like this take time and all parties have to be happy with the outcome. Whanganui Maori have now achieved their river settlement which gives them the opportunity to better themselves and the local community.

I can hear the cynical saying they will do a poor job or that only those Maori at the top of the pile will benefit. Yes, some iwi have done a poor job with their settlement monies, but others have done tremendously well.

Local iwi need to ensure that nepotism does not pervade how funds are managed but I have great faith in local kaumatua to do an admirable job because they are smart and capable people.

Please do not begrudge Maori any extra help they receive and do not attack people in authority who appreciate and understand how our Treaty partners are in a position to benefit us all.

-Steve Baron is a Whanganui-based political commentator, author and founder of Better Democracy NZ, and holds degrees in economics and political science - feedback to: steve@stevebaron.co.nz.