Last month, the British Prime Minister David Cameron delivered a hard-hitting speech outlining the dangers to a nation of radical extremism. While he was focussing on the threat of radical Islam and the importance of eliminating extremist indoctrination from all aspects of British life and culture, his address, which is featured as this week’s NZCPR Guest Commentary, has implications for every free democracy:
“I said on the steps of Downing Street that this would be a ‘one nation’ government, bringing our country together. Today, I want to talk about a vital element of that. How together we defeat extremism and at the same time build a stronger, more cohesive society.
“My starting point is this. Over generations, we have built something extraordinary in Britain – a successful multi-racial, multi-faith democracy. It’s open, diverse, welcoming – these characteristics are as British as queuing and talking about the weather. It is here in Britain where different people, from different backgrounds, who follow different religions and different customs don’t just rub alongside each other but are relatives and friends; husbands, wives, cousins, neighbours and colleagues…
“Wherever we are from, whatever our background, whatever our religion, there are things we share together. We are all British. We respect democracy and the rule of law. We believe in freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of worship, equal rights regardless of race, sex, sexuality or faith. These are British values. And are underpinned by distinct British institutions. Our freedom comes from our Parliamentary democracy. The rule of law exists because of our independent judiciary. This is the home that we are building together.”
While David Cameron has high aspirations for a united Britain, things are very different in New Zealand. Here, successive Prime Ministers have turned their backs on equality under the law, focussing instead on appeasement policies that divide our country along racial lines. As a result of their actions, New Zealand is now out of step with the direction of most modern nations.
The problem is that the demands of the sovereignty movement never end. Over time they grow stronger and more extreme. As a result, increasingly radical ideas are now permeating the country’s institutions.
For example, the inscription on a new plaque that has been hung in an official position on the wall of a local authority council chamber next to a photo of the Queen reads:
The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed on the afternoon of the 6th of February 1840, in the Bay of Islands. It did not arise from warfare, as a Treaty of surrender, but was signed in a spirit of goodwill under the reigning conditions of Peace.
The Treaty was a Declaration of the traditional Maori rights of absolute authority over Aotearoa. Within this authority the signing chiefs generously permitted the Crown a role. The Treaty document is a statement of this concession and forms the fundamental constitutional basis of the Nation.
The Treaty was signed by the representative Chiefs, in the belief that it documented the natural and inalienable Maori rights of land and resource ownership, self determination and the Maori way of life. Simultaneously the Treaty assured Maori of continuing authority and unrestricted access, over all natural resources of Land, Sky and Sea, including Forests, Lakes and Waterways.
Additionally, the Treaty guaranteed to Maori the same protection and rights as British citizens. It permitted the Crown to act as the sole agent in land dealings. It also required the Crown to establish a lawful and just system of shared Governance, in compliance with the Treaty conditions.
The Treaty of Waitangi re-stated and re-inforced the position and authority of the Chiefs. It confirmed their right to exercise shared control over the powers of Governorship granted to the Crown.
Is this radical view, that our Queen is no longer sovereign but must share governance with the self-appointed leaders of private race-based business corporations, now the official doctrine of the country’s local authorities? Or is this being driven by radical iwi leaders and their extremist supporters within local government?
Pockets of racial extremism can be found in many government institutions, with one of the country’s top universities now leading the way.
From next year, every student who enrols at Canterbury University will be required to become “biculturally competent” by the time they graduate. Essentially, this means that students will be force-fed separatist dogma on a compulsory basis.
The initiative is the brainchild of Ngai Tahu. The University of Canterbury established the Ngai Tahu Research Centre in partnership with the tribe in 2011, with the objective, “To create intellectual capital and leadership able to lead and support tribal development”. But their aspiration was to have their bicultural ‘world-view’ dominate the institution.
Last year’s annual report explains that the University has a “memorandum of understanding” with Ngai Tahu and is working cooperatively with the iwi. In 2012, the Strategy for Maori Development – Te Rautaki Whakawhanake Kaupapa Maori – was developed and adopted by the University Council. Additional funding was allocated for the project.
Essentially the Strategy requires all university programmes to support bicultural competency. In practice, that means Matauranga Maori must be incorporated into all policies and processes across the curricula – including course content, new course approval, academic reviews and accreditation. In addition, the revitalisation of the Maori language must be supported in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and qualifications. Furthermore, cultural competency must be acknowledged and demonstrated in the ‘learning objectives’ of the university’s graduate profile.
Accordingly, the University of Canterbury’s Graduate Profile now states that the university is committed to ensuring that students obtain a number of “attributes” when they graduate in 2018, one of which is that they will be “Biculturally competent and confident”.
The ‘Learning Outcomes’ for bicultural competency for a Bachelor of Commerce degree includes, “Students can explain how Maori values could be incorporated into Aotearoa New Zealand workplaces and the reasons for their incorporation; how the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi underpin the relationship between Maori and the Crown in the management of national resources; students can explain the evolution of iwi corporations and their role in contemporary (inter)national commerce.”
The problem for the University of Canterbury is that their newfound commitment to biculturalism is unlikely to be the end of the matter. They should look at the experience of the Anglican Church to see where it all may lead.
The Anglican Church was persuaded to adopt racial objectives in 1992. The initiative was driven by Professor Whatarangi Winiata, the founding President of the Maori Party. He pushed for the Treaty of Waitangi to be embedded in the constitution of the Church. However, while they agreed to a race-based constitution, it was divided in three – Maori, Pacific Islander, and ‘Pakeha’.
According to the Church’s website, this constitution “provides an opportunity for each of the three partners, tikanga Maori, tikanga Pakeha (European), tikanga Pasifika, to express its mind as an equal partner in the decision-making process of the General Synod…”
However, having Maori as one of three branches of the Church, was not enough. The separatists driving the agenda wanted half of the power and control, especially over ‘taonga’ – the $300 million Church trust fund.
As a result, they are claiming that under the principal of tino rangatiratanga, Maori should have absolute sovereignty over their own affairs, and they say that the present structure, which splits power in three ways, breaches that.
Professor Winiata proposed two radical motions to be put to last year’s General Synod meeting:
The first was the “the constitution… be amended to provide for a two-Tikanga Church for Maori and Pakeha (being all other citizens in Aotearoa New Zealand)…”
And the second was that “the General Synod acknowledge in its constitution the right of whanau, hapu, iwi and Maori to exercise tino rangatiratanga over taonga as guaranteed in Article 2 of the Treaty of Waitangi, and undertake to confront unjust structures that impede the exercise of these rights.”
In the end, the motions were withdrawn, but they are unlikely to have gone away.
Anglicans, uneasy about the division along racial lines moved in 2005 to have the three tikanga constitution dissolved – but the motion failed to win the support of the Church’s hierarchy.
Meanwhile, due no doubt to a sense that their Church is practising a form of religious apartheid, the number of people calling themselves Anglicans in the Census, has declined by a dramatic 27 percent from 631,000 in 1996 to 459,000 in 2013.
This compares to a 4 percent increase in the number of people identifying as Catholic over the same period, from 473,000 in 1996 to 492,000 in 2013.
New Zealanders remain deeply concerned over the country’s racial divide. You only have to look at the outcry generated by the revelation that young Maori drivers caught behind the wheel without a license were being warned and referred for training instead of being ticketed and fined, like everyone else, to realise how deeply held this view is.
So why are our political leaders not calling for unity and equality – and an end to race-based division? After all, Don Brash did just that, as leader of the National Party in 2004, gaining widespread public acknowledgement and support.
What we need from our Prime Minister is the courage to do what the leaders of other nations are doing, and speak out about such matters – especially the dangers of tribalism. In the words of Barack Obama:
“Ethnic-based tribal politics has to stop. It is rooted in the bankrupt idea that the goal of politics or business is to funnel as much of the pie as possible to one’s family, tribe, or circle with little regard for the public good. It stifles innovation and fractures the fabric of the society. Instead of opening businesses and engaging in commerce, people come to rely on patronage and payback as a means of advancing. Instead of unifying the country to move forward on solving problems, it divides neighbor from neighbor.
“An accountable, transparent government can break this cycle. When people are judged by merit, not connections, then the best and brightest can lead the country, people will work hard, and the entire economy will grow – everyone will benefit and more resources will be available for all, not just select groups.”
On election night last year, John Key said, “For the past six years I’ve enjoyed a privilege afforded to only a very small group of New Zealanders – and that’s to lead our country. In that time I’ve never stopped marvelling at the creativity, the ingenuity, the compassion, the generosity, and kindness of New Zealanders. We are the finest little nation on the planet – and I truly believe that. And our future as a country is bright, our opportunities are unlimited.
“So tonight, whoever you voted for, I can pledge this to you, that I will lead a government that governs for all New Zealanders. And although as New Zealanders we hold a range of political views, I think we can all, as a nation, agree on one thing – we are lucky and rightfully proud to call New Zealand home and to be Kiwis.”
We are indeed a lucky country, but we will only be great if we are united as Kiwis rather than divided by race and privilege.
When John Key and our other political leaders start straight talking like David Cameron and Barack Obama about the dangers of radicalism and tribalism, then we will know that New Zealand has turned a corner and that a brighter future indeed lies ahead.
THIS WEEK’S POLL ASKS:
Do you agree with the University of Canterbury’s decision to introduce compulsory bicultural competency courses for all students?
*Poll comments are posted below.
*All NZCPR poll results can be seen in the Archive.
THIS WEEK’S POLL COMMENTS
| Unbelievable PC racially biased and unacceptable behavior rubbish – the thin end of an ever increasing sized wedge. Exactly similar to the adoption of UNELECTED Maori persons to Local Body Councils and allowing these individuals to vote along with elected Council Members. | Hylton |
| Whats going on here this is extreme and will separate us further and give Maori more power and teach students less about progressing in the world. | Ken |
| They have gone mad. | Alan |
| This is a racist, divisive step that regrettably is a ceult of an ongoing culturalist hegemony that our spineless leader and his government will not take steps to eradicate. | Tom |
| Based on made up re written history. | Hone |
| THIS HAS TO STOP & RIGHT NOW! | CLIVE |
| What does David Round think of this desperately backward move to impose this bicultural dogma at his ‘Truth or Treaty’ university? How do we stop this unbelievable extremism at a supposed place of learning not propaganda? Where does cultural competency fit into an engineering degree? Shame on you Tipene O’Regan!!! | Monica |
| It is based on false history, and thus a deceitful lie. | Malcolm |
| I guess I and my descendants will have to think very seriously about ever attending anything conducted by Canterbury University. Is what they are doing as an educational institution any different than the propaganda occurring in our primary and secondary schools. I don’t think so and I object to contributing to its furtherance through my taxes. | Michael |
| Jeez … there used to be Irish jokes … then there were Polish jokes … but they don’t even touch on Kiwi jokes …. how bloody stupid can a country be ??? | Steve |
| I feel we are fine right now. | George |
| Another nail in the coffin of: “Now we are all one people.” | Don |
| This should not be a requirement for a degree qualification. | Keith |
| Absolutely NO. | Graeme |
| Soon there will be a call for multicultural competency?? | Sue |
| More PC total crap – I am sick to death of all things Maori – my toleration levels are now below ZERO. It’s time someone who had the power and authority to do something about actually had the guts to do it – but it seems they are gutless and all Uncle Toms. | Peter |
| Its just another way of justifying separatism in our country. | David |
| Absolutely crazy. | Bob |
| Respect peoples freedom to chose. | Howard |
| This decision can only lead to more misery, and those non-Maori students, who only have a very casual interest in Maori culture, are doomed to fail, whereas the Maori contingent will pass. Hey Presto, another success for the government in their drive to include Maori education. | Mike |
| More like competency to be at the university in the first place. | Roy |
| Idiocy gone mad!! | Leighton |
| Biculturalism = brainwashing = bullshit | Peter |
| If the marries want a Maori university then let them pay for it from their own funds. Maori is not going to be spoken in overseas uni so what is the point. | Andrew |
| One could imagine the reaction if this University demanded compulsory competency Western European Culture courses as a prerogative to securing a place at University! Racial abuse in the extreme, but in this reverse situation the usual mute response from our craven Media, our gutless politicians, and most of all from our apathetic public. | Brian |
| Its Reverse Apartheid AGAIN! Maybe if Maori cleaned up their backyard first ie crime,child abuse,domestic violence etc we may be more open to some ideas? | Murray |
| History tells us that nations governed by exclusive political institutions always, eventually, fail. | Graeme |
| This is purely political propaganda and has nothing whatsoever to do with university courses. Our universities are for education, not political corruption! | charles |
| An absolutely ridiculous idea. | Jack |
| At University level it should wll be about choice. Anything labelled as ‘compulsory’ should be treated not only with great scepticism but with abhorrence. | Diana |
| This is a load of nonsense. | Fiona |
| Wankers | Jim |
| People are tired of the bicultural competency. It is good for Maori to learn their bi cultural roots but others are tired of the sham.Many of the so called traditions are myths. | Judy |
| All the Maori Leaders/stirrers went through our Pakeha schools/systems to get to where they are today, and think they should rule absolutely… This cannot be passed in law as we will then have apartheid !!! | Elayne |
| Tks to that fellow Palmer, the pollie who almost singlehanded decided there should be TOW “principles regarded. Also how do we spell revisionism as applicable to TOW? | Roger |
| Te reo should not be compulsory. | John |
| What a totally insane idea. I am so glad that I have not children who would be even considering attending Canterbury University. In 1971 I elected to learn Maori at Otago University. it was an evening course and taught by two Maoris. One was very competent at teaching the language. The other was fluent in the language but could not teach the language to others. When I moved to the North Island I attempted to use my learned Maori language. I was frequently ridiculed. It was often pointed out there were dialectic differences. The result – I gave up all attempts at the language. By improsing biculturalism on Canterbury University, the institution is imposing a racism on it’s students. This will not improve racial relations. It will detract from a university. Foreign students will not be less interested in attending . A university is no place to impose racial views on any student. This is such an ill thought out concept. A racist blow to New Zealand education and certainly to Canterbury University. . | Peter |
| There was more reality for the people signing and negotiating on the day than any university driven propaganda today. | Mairie |
| Having read every comment on this site to date, there is little left to add could one add, I agree wholeheartedly with just about every comment , David Round’s 1998″ Tuth or Treaty? For me was a true awakening, ironically pubished by Canterbury University, Press. Written from the Heart ,dedicaed “To my countrymen of both sexes and all races.” | Jim |
| Ridiculous idea!! | John |
| Absolutely not! Why does studying for a science degree need to be fudged with cultural claptrap? One thing is certain, overseas students will depart in their droves and a university struggling for its survival will soon have to shut down those faculties that have no need of such nonsense. | David |
| Universities exist simply to EDUCATE, not brainwash on behalf of the minority Maori population. Maori are NOT indigenous to NZ – they found NZ sooner than the far away Europeans, that’s all. They were conquered [but not slaughtered!] therefore are damn lucky to get ANY consideration. Cur, I mean SIR, Geoffrey Palmer, opened a real can of worms. Maoris should call him Midas. To the rest of us, he’s a JUDAS!! | Edwin |
| Surprised to hear that Maori activism managed to push this through right under the nose of a normal thinking staff member at Cant. Uni.in David Round….bet he wasn’t exactly delighted!! | Neil |
| How can anyone, bsides ngi tahu, agree with that rubbish?!..I would like to think that the students would protest at such lunacy. | pepper brown |
| Canterbury University heads have shown themselves as card-carrying morons. How many students would want to go along with this? Watch enrolments decline. | Mike |
| Absolute rubbish. | Stuart |
| Typical University intellectuals trying to be politically correct, instead of living in the REAL world. | Ian |
| NO! NO! MUST BE STOPPED BEFORE WE BECOME A DIVIDED NATION. | ANTHONY |
| So worried for our children.Prove pure Maori blood and Ill give you the rights. If not were all the same.DNA testing is cheap, accurate and easy now. | Worried |
| Stop forcing it on people sick of maori….my kids wont be going there | Jon |
| More bulls**t! This must end now. | Colin |
| Hell no. One goes to University to get a degree in engineering or the arts. Not some stupid force fed dogma on religion or an alien culture that has no intention of integrating with our society. | Graeme |
| Absolutely crazy. | Jenny |
| We are already a divided nation! My family and I see first-hand positive Discrimination and despite all my efforts as a mother, wife, and an individual, I AM DISCRIMINATED AGAINST! Time after time after time; by Employers, DHBs, Local Govt., by NZ Police, in Education ., by MPs, by Ministers of Cabinet; by the Prime Minister himself! And why? Because my income is low and so I can’t afford a good lawyer to fight my case…Because I was let down by ‘the Govt. systems in the 1950/60’s in Wellington, as a child, where my mother Abused and Neglected me; And like for so many, because this Abuse led to a life-long Depressive Illness which many NZ Govts. and Health Ministers/Depts. ignored for decades and continue to do so without funding treatment; And more so nowadays, because my heritage/background is British and not Maori. ie I cannot make claim to an iwi, so I am made to feel that I don’t have any rights anymore in the country of my birth. How tragic is that? I raised my two children to believe in good values and to have good work ethics, yet all they see around them is a world of inequality and selfishness – Consumerism is bad enough, but Racial Preference is NOT acceptable! It is not only divisive… it will lead our Nation (and the World) down a very dark road, which WW2 was supposed to have taught us all to avoid. I plead with anyone and everyone who can and will influence those in positions of authority, please put a stop to this madness, before we lose all our good people – whether it be overseas, or by in other ways. Don’t take away our peoples’ HOPE for the future. I still believe in my homeland, my New Zealand – I believe in Equality, in Fairness, in Justice, in treating EVERYONE THE SAME….What is wrong with that philosophy? We are all Human Beings, all needing to be respected, loved, and cared for….We all start out, no better no worse than each other, just making different choices and having to live with those consequences. EQUALITY IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT! Everyone being treated the same! Without bias towards any one race.! | Heather |
| Hard to understand how an institution like the CU can try to divide the Nation like this. | Murray |
| I voted for John Key the first time because he said One country for everyone but since then he has fallen over backwards towards Maori radicalists to keep him in power. As a new flag just the thin edge of the wedge to make us us a republic swith him as President I wonder. | Pat |
| What has this got to do with university education degrees, e.g. Bachelor of Commerce? What utter nonsense! What will they think of next? | Ron |
| No! – yet another example of how this insidious, oft repeated lie is creeping into the fabric of our Nation. | Scott |
| Vote with your feet. Don’t go there to study! | ROBERT |
| New Zealand is a Multi-Cultural country. To be part of the modern world, we need to abandon race-based legislation. | Glenn |
| Yeah that will fill the seats; what next. | Bryan |
| NZ is so multicultural it is ridiculous to say all should learn Maori especially when a large proportion of maoris have never bothered to or tried to learn it. | Joclyn |
| If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it’s a separatist duck. | Lesley |
| Absolute rubbish.We are all New Zealanders. | Peter |
| We have already seen that this is not necessary and does not work towards equality for all New Zealanders. | Alexandra |
| By all means have Maori language available for students, like any other language, but not compulsory, any way they should be teaching Chinese, as they will be owning and running NZ soon!!!! | Athol |
| What a pack of spineless do gooders , how dare they force non moari new zealanders to their racial crap WHY do we put up with this nonsene ???? | Shane |
| This an outrage and makes a nonsense of any claim this formerly honoured institution may have as one of learning. | Robin |
| Dam right. | Ron |
| It’s PC nonsense gone crazy! | Allan |
| What’s good for the goose is good for the gander also. I smell a rat here. | Kelvin |
| Maori claims about the Treaty are becoming more outlandish every day. They are heading the wrong way to harmony. They are heading for Apartheid.. | Roger |
| Universities, churches etc. all need to be very careful who they take largess from; there is always a payback. | Delia |
| The Universities, of all institutions, have always been held up as the bastions of free speech and democracy. What a shame and disaster for New Zealand that they have been reduced to advocating this dangerous apartheid nonsense. | John |
| Education is more about common sense rather than paper qualifications. It is about time academics in NZ started to use common sense in understanding we live in a Multi-cultural society not a Bi-cultural one. | Martin |
| NO!NO! NO! It is time the students refused and objected too. it is against their rights as students to be forced to study and qualify in something they have no interest or belief in. | Judith |
| Absolutely not. What rubbish. | Sheena |
| As a former student of Canterbury University, this makes my blood boil. It’s apartheid. Whatever happened to the discerning, questioning students and staff of former years who would have given this disgusting racism short shrift? No wonder CU is way down in the international university meritocracy pecking order. | Paul |
| The Treaty of Waitangi has been twisted, reinvented to suit Iwi and is taught totally ignoring the Maori wars and inter-tribal cannabilsm. | Rodney |
| What a disgrace, and these people being brain washed are likely to have a large part in running the country in the future. This rubbish has to be stopped, NOW. | Stevo |
| In 20 years time there will be an Isis style terrorism in this country if this propaganda continues. Just look at Hitlers rise in Germany. | George |
| It stinks. | Brian |
| Biculturally competent, is this another way of saying indoctrinated or brain washed? | Bryon |
| Is it nazi college, or is there such a thing as CHOICE! | Swampy |
| Have the impression that these spin doctors driving Maori propaganda and attempt to force Maori language and culture into our educational and other sectors of public life by compulsion shows me that these people must be driven by a deep sense on inferiority. Otherwise they would not choose covert force to instill their views onto NZ’s Non Maori population rather leave it to everybody to decide freely if they wish to get involved with Maori language and culture. There are more and more indicators of fascism in their approach to gain control over NZ. Example:My grandfather was a teacher when the 3rd Reich came into being and to be able to continue teaching he had to become a NSDAP party member by COMPULSION. Otherwise he would not have a chance to work.Looking at the so called cultural demands on our teachers here in NZ ( ie Principles of the TOW) I’d say this is not far off the mark. What is rather frightening is this covert partnership between Govt and a selected group of Maori cultural extremist propagandists to utterly distort the wording in this TOW to build an Apartheid state. Several consecutive Govt’s have betrayed us and destroyed what little democracy was existent in this country. On the other hand : compulsion will also achieve quite the opposite to what these elitists have in mind. One only has to listen to what people are saying in general about these things and read between the lines. I for my part have heard a lot of negative remarks about these issues at hand and that attitude is certainly not helping to give valuable substance to their course. | Michael |
| This must be a personal choice whether related to a qualification or not. Forcing such studies onto tertiary students risks them being belittled. I don’t want to see that in this country. If balanced against the negatives of tribalism I might feel differently about a compulsory cultural element. | Graham |
| Definitely NO !!! Down with compulsory or tax-funded tribalism. Separate development or apartheid will divide the country and a possible outcome of civil war. Languages should not be made compulsory. One law or constitution for all. | Don |
| It is frightening the level of race based things happening in this country. It is gets the support from the very office that should discouraging racism namely the race relations office. | Donald |
| One of the foundation tenets of democracy is the right to choose – freedom of choice for all. How can an institution dedicated to learning, fostering knowledge and enlightenment, justify such a decision which erodes the values which the majority treasure? | Barry |
| We should not accept dictator ship but learn to live with with each other peacefully naturally as we go along with each other. | Theodorus |
| NO!NO!NO! When are these filthy savages going to learn that their DIVISIVE MOARI RACISM is not welcome in New Zealand. We real New Zealanders neither want nor need their OVERT RACIST NAZI INTERFERENCE in our lives. Grow up or crawl back under your rock. | Mark |
| Maoris are welcome to have their language and customs amongst themselves. I don’t speak, understand or wish to listen to the Maori language as it means nothing to me. The bicultural aspect of Canterbury University is an an athema to me and similar to the way I and many others are subjected to Maori language on National Radio and TV. I don’t understand it and dislike the way NZ place names that I have been used to for 70 years now sound completely different with distorted vowel sounds making a different city or region. Maoris have got their own TV channel to do what they like with so leave the English language alone on our TV and don’t introduce every news broadcast with a torrent of Maori. | Chris |
| Absolutely no – this is discrimination against all other races. | Sharon |
| Polls record approx 85%of the public do not accept racially based issues.Only when all these people decide at the polling booth to give this cancer in our midst their top priority and vote accordingly,. nothing will change. | David |
| This would be another wedge driven between peace and extremisim. | David |
| Idiots. | Robert |
| Absolutely no. | Bernette |
| Definitely do not agree to bicultural competency courses for all students. Completely ridiculous. | Neil |
| It smacks of “I will donate more money if you adopt my agenda”. | Harry |
| Absolutely NOT, yet another example of Iwi leadership imposing their view of the treaty on a gullible group in the Public arena. Shameful. | Donald |
| It is precisely because of lunacy such as this, that we moved back to the UK last year after 13 years in NZ. | John |
| NO to racism in NZ. | Brian |
| Compulsory bicultural competency is getting out of hand – when is someone going to put a stop to this rubbish. | John |
| Another case of Maori getting more and more along the road little by little to an eventual total take-over of NZ. | Peter |
| Why are those in charge of this country & its institutions, taking us down the path of total dishonesty, when truth is so desperately needed to take us forward. What is this wonderful Maori culture, that our children are being indoctrinated with. The truth is, the Maori were a tribal people who owned nothing, but occupied a piece of land until the next invading tribe drove them off or annihilated them. Hardly worth promoting in a civilized society. Apart from the primitive war dance, they call the haka. which only has entertainment value, what do these tribal descendants have to offer that has any benefit at all. Sad thing is the real people of all races want to move forward together, leaving a small percentage of radical no-hopers, who could never achieve a thing on their own & rely on massive handouts from pathetic governments, to make themselves look important in front of “their people”. Hands up all of those who were so thrilled when National won sufficient seats at the last election to govern alone. We have no more than a weak bunch who bow to radical pressure, just to remain in power. PLEASE give any ‘party’ that promotes one law for all, your consideration next election.. | A.G.R. |
| It’s the first step towards apartheid, by all-means make it it an option and after two years see how many take it up. | Eddie |
| Not all Kiwis have a Maori heritage. So making bicultural competency at Canterbury University is insulting to other races. Maybe we’ll have to go overseas for our higher education. | Louise |
| How on earth can a minority group within our supposed democracy have the power to introduce such a load of crap into our education system. | Roderick |
| Sort of nonsensiical gobbledegook one would expect of modern “enlightened” academia – and I once taught at a NZ university! We are indeed on a very slippery slope! What next? the “thought Police”?? | Andrew |
| Wheres freedom of choice. | Edward |
| As I understand it the Treaty was signed so the Maori people would be protected by the British from each other and from exploitation. The plaque wording is a nonsense. | Ken |
| Of course not. That is nothing less than the most sinister type of indoctrination, backed by the threat of academic failure. About as nasty as it gets. | John |
| Time to call a halt. | Jeff |
| When is all this bullshit going to stop! | Bill |
| Utter rubbish!! Teach the students the skills they need for their chosen profession AND integrity. | Peter |
| Ngai Tahu considered to have very little mana. Trust Canterbury students will be taught about Te Rauparaha coming down with his Ngati Toa tribe (from Kawhia, then Porirua region) and practically wiping them out. Maori weren’t too competent with monoculture. | Peter |
| IK do not like bi=-culturalism. | David |
| Whoever is promulgating this rubbish will probably discover potential students seeking their higher education in a more enlightened university. As for Obama and Cameron%u2026.these two parasites have elevated hypocrisy to stratified heights. Who could possibly take their posturing seriously? | Charles |
| How does one become ‘biculturally competent? I would have thought that any reasonable person living in say Far North District area, 51% Maori, or more would automatically qualify. Not all common sense is learn at a Varsity. Then again South Islanders aren’t as used to the indigenous population as we North Islanders! | Ron |
| WHAT is wrong NZ this is not Democracy it is racism and in this case who are these so called intellectual dangerous fools in Canterbury University. | Lance |
| ..brain washing at its’ extreme…..Pathetic. | Christopher |
| I thought that going to University was to give one self a higher education in learning and the key way to unlock doors in career oportunities. What has happened to freedom of speech?? Learning Maori will give nothing more than appeasing a few radical self indoctrinated Maori iwis that they can have their own way regardless of equal rights because in this country our rights are slowly being erroded by a few very narrow minded maori radicals. Sort of leaning a bit towards communisum isn’t it ?? My way or no way attitude and it will not belong when NZer’s SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND WE ARE NOT BROWN BASHING JUST WANTING EQUALITY FOR ALL NZ CITIZENS. | Wayne |
| eemazing!! | Ian |
| If I hadn’t read it in your publication I wouldn’t have believed it. The only thing not mentioned is how much money changed hands. This issue plus the council statement confirms we are governed by whimps at all levels. | Mike |
| Tokenisim. | Charles |
| Doesn’t really matter what we all vote, they’ll bully it through anyway. | Carolyn |
| It is racist based on flawed interpretation of the real truth. | Norm |
| This is the kind of thought-control that Orwell pilloried in 1984. | Don |
| Stop the brain washing of our young. | Ian |
| It is going against democracy. The University governing body have their heads in the sand, sucked in. | Barry |
| Definitely not, it should only be by choice. | Beryl |
| If you wanted to be bi-cultural you would pick a better second cultural than stone age cannibals. | Larry |
| Absolutely not. What is scary is that historically we looked up to academics as intelligent. Seems time has dulled their senses and moral comapasses. | Di |
| Apartheid South Africa was ostracized for it’s race-based legislation and society. New Zealand is no different and is probably the only Western country to have a racially based style of government embedded in its legislation. Are we the only true apartheid regime left? | Rob |
| The very word bicultural is scary. We are as multicultural as most other countries according to the census figures. Bi means two – them and us. Terrifying. | John |
| Sounds like BIG BROTHER at work to me= being pushed around and told to put blinkers on = OR ELSE!! | Ray |
| Absolutely not! What a waste of students time and money when they should be studying subjects relevant to their degrees. I would rather go overseas to study than put up with that. | Fiona |
| This shows that the wedge is being hammered further in. Who will be able to stop it? | Helen |
| How can they be so short sighted? Racial division and then, inevitably, civil war will be the result. Who has actually read the treaty? -this propaganda they tell us is not in it! The treaty does not give Maori rights over other people of any race! | Linc |
| Another racist bullet fired at the population of this country created by some maori tribe to further erode a balanced society of equality for all. Weak politicians endorsing these racist moves continues unabated and while we have them running the country, nothing will change, so much for Key and his rhetoric of equality!! | David |
| Anything above learning about basic Maori culture at school should be done on a personal and voluntary basis. | Alan |
| Why are we surprised. After all APARTHEID is alive and well in NZ. We HAVE to stop this. NZ was so vocal against APARTHEID in SA, yet it is evident at every level in NZ. Start by getting rid of the Maori seats in Parliament, then APARTHEID would die in NZ. | Geoff |
| End racism now | Bud |
| No, No,No!! When will our pathetic government grow a spine and demonstrate some leadership by taking a stand against this sort of nonsense? No doubt the fearless John Key is “comfortable” with such ongoing developments. God defend New Zealand! | Les |
| Absolutely NOT in agreement with this proposal…it will become an extra burden on students, many already find it hard enough to cope with present curricula! | Constance |
| If this is implemented there is no way I will send my children to this university. | James |
| I’m shocked to read what one local authority has put on their wall regarding the Treaty. They are so far off the mark that it isn’t funny. The citizens of that authority need to protest loudly and clearly. Apartheid is rapidly creeping into every nook and cranny in this country and it’s just so depressing that no-one seems able to stop it. | Helen |
| We are heading down the Aparthied path of South Africa. We should help NZ Maori but not pander to their separatist goals which are being implemented on slow and stealthy step at a time! One people, one government, one law. Government for, of, and by one people. | Lawrence |
| THIS IS ALL BECOMING VERY FRIGHTENING. I BELIEVE THE national Govt must get rid of the Minister for Treaty Negotiations NOW! | Albie |
| This country has never been bicultural! | Mark |
| It’s hard to believe how utterly stupid this nation has become, and it will only get worse. Prepare to become a truly 3rd rate country. | John |
| A total waste of time. | David |
| In 1974 I trained as a teacher at Waikato. We had a Maori Studies course and one essay asked for discussion about whether or not there should be full integration between Maori and Pakeha, based on an article in The Listener. I took the stance that there should be. I wrote 1200 words as required to justify this stance; I received about 5000 words from the Maori studies lecturers pointing out why my stance was wrong, and the lowest grade of any essay I wrote. Racism in education is not new. | Alan |
| It should be, if anything, a Course of choice. | Ronald |
| NZ has not been bicultural for many years. “Maori” separatists should recognise this. The Asian and Pacifica population will in a few years catch up and over take the numbers of “Maori” population. Those “Maori” who still believe NZ is still bicultural are the racists and separatists. They are building trouble for themselves in the not too distant future. Learning about “Maori” culture in university or any educational facility should be voluntary not compulsory. Canterbury may find that the number of students enrolling may drop off due to this compulsion. Waikato is another very pro”Maori” university. | Rog |
| Criminal. | Chris |
| By all means have Maori language avaible for students, like any other language, but not compulsory. | Geoff |
| Equality for all. | Maureen |
| The university should rescind the”memorandum of understanding” with Ngai Tahu today.This racist bullying cannot continue to be tolerated. | Steve |
| Definitely not. | John |
| As a old alumnus I will no longer donate to the University as it slides into racist role. | Owen |
| What a load of b*llocks! We are now one people .. no matter what colour, race, creed. | Maddi |
| This is an outrage, choice – yes, compulsion – no. | Graham |
| United we stand; divided we fall. This proposal is not only outrageous, but also monumentally stupid. | Graham |
| This is one of the silliest things I have ever heard from an educational institution – I have struck them off the list of potential universities for my children. | Larry |
| As a university graduate & a forty-four year career in Education I could see this would happen eventually but I absolutely despise both the architects of this policy & its destructive influence on students & our communities. | Cyril |
| You would think a university would have more brains! | Peter |
| Need you ask? | Grant |
| It would seem we are well down the same path of so many diabolical South African countries fighting amongst themselves on tribal and racial basis! Well done politicians! | Stuart |
| You would have to be smoking Thai heads, not the shrunken version to see the problem here. Unless it was all about reducing the level of family violence that exists in this country of OURS. In spite of the hundreds of millions that have been thrown at our people, the law and all its applications, has not been able to stop, let alone reduce the level of family violence in this country. Perhaps the teachings at this university are there to explain why we do these things to our loved ones, and our children. Or is it another grab for entitlement, and money for the chosen few here in New Keyland. | Wiremu |
| MOST DEFINITELY NOT! Such a move is totally abhorrent. | Trevor |
| What students study is their own business. They are adults and paying dearly for their courses. Valuable course time should not be wasted with what literally amounts to terrorist propaganda. | Liz |
| It defies the principles of education. | Les |
| This is one of the most repulsive things I have heard of. We have our young people go to university to be our future leaders not to be brain washed into some so to be extinct pipe dream of a few I thought we live in a free society not to be told how we study time our Govt woke up or we down the gurgler. | Russell |
| Absolutely not. | Brent |
| It will cost them students and it will cost them their credibility in the real world. A degree from Canterbury won’t be worth shit when it becomes widely known what it actually means. Potential employers will wonder how much useful learning has been cut from the course requirements to allow time for the Maori content. Canterbury graduates will therefore find it more difficult to get jobs, especially outside New Zealand. And what about the foreign fee paying students? Are they also to be force fed material that is completely alien to them (as it is to many, if not most, New Zealanders) and will be of no earthly use when they graduate? | Kerry |
| Another demonstration of the power that is being given to iwi-against the wishes of the public and in a completely undemocratic manner. | Roger |
| Never we are ore should be one people. | Clark |
| Sooner or later there will be civil war in this country. | Leonie |
| If the students want to learn it they will but they are going to Uni for a qualification which is hard enough for them without having to learn another subject as well. | Cherryl |
| What happened to one country one people to. | Joan |
| NZ is NOT a maori nation nor were maori the first peoples to settle here. About time our TRUE history was re-established and this revised history shown for what it is. | Gary |
| I am absolutely shocked that things have got so bad. | Chris |
| Having voted no to the question I have long believed thar all New Zealanders should be competent in Te Reo and have a greater knowledge of things Maori. This situation should be wanted by NZers not rammed down our throats. David Cameron seems to be taking a leading role in this and John Key and compatriots should take notice and some action in this direction. The gorging at the public trough by self appointed groups needs to come to an end and the wealth that is being consumed in this way fistributed to a far wider section of New Zealanders. | Ian |
| If it was multi-cultural it would make more sense in a modern society | Brian |
| More bollocks. | Andrew |
| Maori “Culture” is being rambed down our throte through Goebles like propoganda.The Maori language is non existant on world standards. | David |
| Like David Cameron, I truly believe in a one nation and getting by on merit alone not on what colour, tribe, or religion you follow. That will not bring everyone together. David Cameron said it brilliantly. I am sick, to be honest, of tribes being greedy and holding out their hand for more, more, more. John Key needs to step up to the mark. It makes me very angry. Our country will not embrace each other, they are divided and we are racial. Maoris are racial. Its about time we looked at that. I hate all this PC correctness. Why can’t we say what we truly feel. | Kerin |
| We are a nation with many cultures not just 2 so why should a race of about only 20% have an exclusive rite to anything. | Jim |
| Compulsory bicultural education is an absolutely ridiculous waste of student’s time and money. | Brian |
| Watch the student numbers fall! | Jenny |
| If students wanted bicultural education, they would have enrolled in those courses. It is a stupid idea. | Tom |
| Absolutely not – such course should NEVER be compulsory in our education institutions. | Stuart |
| Who on earth was ‘sucked’ in by Ngai Tahu to make this deal? The University will regret it in the long run. Voluntary courses would have been OK, but not compulsion. | Mike |