Hipkins takes aim at Govt over policies 'unfairly targeting' Māori

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Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the coalition Government is unfairly targeting Māori with its policies and that "enough is enough" in a speech at an Auckland hui today.

Joined by iwi representatives, Auckland councillors and members of the Labour Party, Hipkins discussed several of the Government's recent policies.

"We are here after a week in Parliament that, like all other weeks in Parliament under this Government, has seen Māori unfairly targeted."

The release of the Royal Commission of Inquiry's report on Abuse in State Care this week brought a "shameful history of abuse" into daylight, he said.

"Māori were disproportionately targeted. Cut off from their whānau, their whakapapa, their culture and identity, subjected to outright racism. Beaten, starved, raped, and abused.

"We heard all parties acknowledge the findings, speak of their horror at what had occurred, and pledge that it should never be allowed to happen again.

"And then, quite literally minutes after the debate on the Royal Commission’s report had ended, the Government once again targeted Māori as they reversed legislation that gives Māori a seat at the table on local councils."

Hipkins said the decision ignored councils and that "disgraceful right wing lobby groups and the racist coalition agreement" were resisting and overriding their wishes.

"Let’s be clear, the law change we made in government does nothing more than ensure that the establishment of Māori wards is treated the same as establishment of other wards by local councils. Why should a Māori ward be subject to a referendum when the establishment of a rural ward is not?"

The Labour leader also condemned the decision to reinstate bootcamps for youth offenders.

"Despite their righteous outrage at the findings of the Royal Commission, the Government continues with their agenda to re-introduce bootcamps, even though they were found to be places where some of the worst abuse happened."

Hipkins also criticised the ACT Party's draft Treaty Principles Bill that would soon be made public.

"Each week they find new ways to keep Māori down – and I want to be very clear — they do not speak for all non-Māori in Aotearoa.

"I think most New Zealanders want us to work on improving outcomes for Māori. I think most New Zealanders celebrate Māori culture and identity and the fact that it makes us so unique in the world.

"Who doesn’t swell with pride when the All Blacks perform a haka at the start of a test match?"

He said the speeches at Waitangi Day in 2040, 200 years on from the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, would not praise or honour Luxon, Peters, or Seymour.

"Their time will be mentioned as a cautionary lesson we all learnt from, a time to never be repeated, a Government that did more harm than good to the fabric of our country."

He said New Zealanders should "reject racist and revisionist history".

"We have nothing to fear from Māori doing well – and everything to gain.

"When Māori flourish, we all flourish. When we stand together, we support one another, and we collectively benefit."

Minister for Māori Crown Relations and Māori Development Tama Potaka said results for Māori went backwards under Chris Hipkins and his Government.

"Worse health, worse educational achievement, and worse employment outcomes.

"We want a New Zealand where all can flourish - Māori and non-Māori alike.

"That’s why we will continue to improve the lives of Māori with a lower cost of living, better healthcare and better education."

ACT justice spokesperson Todd Stephenson responded to the speech by saying Hipkins led a Government that left New Zealanders "more divided than ever".

"Labour pitted employers against employees; landlords against renters; made licensed firearm owners and farmers feel like criminals; and created an occupation on Parliament’s lawn that had to be broken up with batons and shields."

Stephenson said Labour's Covid response "mostly kept people apart".

"Labour even divided rich from poor, with a Covid response that locked working people down and transferred wealth into the property market.

"Labour were also the ones that created division based on race in the areas of health, water infrastructure, local government and resource management."

Hipkins championed the same "divisive policies" in today's speech, Stephenson said.

"New Zealanders aren’t stupid – they know Labour attempted radical constitutional change by giving different groups different rights.

"We can celebrate Māori culture, and every other, within the framework of a liberal democracy that unites us on the basis of our common humanity."

A spokesperson for NZ First leader Winston Peters said the Deputy Prime Minister was at an ASEAN conference and unavailable to respond to Hipkins' comments.