ECAN promoting apartheid

the specific mention of tangata whenua values in ECan's regional policy statement, as is required by law, was "discrimination"

The 'normalisation' in deference to Maori in New Zealand continues unabated. Apartheid by any other name suggests an ECAN councillor. Written in to law here, there and everywhere.

an "angry rant" made more from ignorance than a thoughtful critique

"It's the sort of statement made 50 years ago," he said. "It's not a rational comment on the way the law works."

MP Rahui Katene said she was not taking Harrow's comment seriously

comments were "unfortunate", but not representative of today's views

They're from another time and place," he said. "They don't deserve too much time and attention.

As is normal for this type of discussion, the man was played to the full.

The Treaty of Waitangi is New Zealand's colonising document which due to poor translation still causes angst as both sides argue meanings to the nth degree. At the 1840 signing, all inhabitants of New Zealand became subjects of HM The Queen, ie the Crown and forever forfeited their rights to independence by agreeing to live under the laws of mother Britain. It was 'a voluntary transfer of sovereignty from Maori to the British Crown', negating the 1835 Independence settlement previously signed.

For those having trouble understanding that here is the legal version of the TOW.

Article The First

• The Chiefs of the Confederation of the United Tribes of New Zealand and the separate and independent Chiefs who have not become members of the Confederation cede to Her Majesty the Queen of England absolutely and without reservation all the rights and powers of Sovereignty which the said Confederation or Individual Chiefs respectively exercise or possess, or may be supposed to exercise or to possess over their respective Territories as the sole Sovereigns thereof.

Article The Second

• Her Majesty the Queen of England confirms and guarantees to the Chiefs and Tribes of New Zealand and to the respective families and individuals thereof the full exclusive and undisturbed possession of their Lands and Estates Forests Fisheries and other properties which they may collectively or individually possess so long as it is their wish and desire to retain the same in their possession; but the Chiefs of the United Tribes and the individual Chiefs yield to Her Majesty the exclusive right of Preemption over such lands as the proprietors thereof may be disposed to alienate at such prices as may be agreed upon between the respective Proprietors and persons appointed by Her Majesty to treat with them in that behalf.

Article The Third

In consideration thereof Her Majesty the Queen of England extends to the Natives of New Zealand Her royal protection and imparts to them all the Rights and Privileges of British Subjects.

The TOW is absolutely clear in this First Article portion - 'cede to Her Majesty the Queen of England absolutely and without reservation all the rights and powers of Sovereignty'. End of argument.

I fully agree with the councillor - no special preference should be given in law to either race, we are all subjects of HM and any legislation or representation equally applies irrespective of race.