Clearing the Decks: Government replaces half of the Waitangi Tribunal
This Friday afternoon, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced an overhaul of the Waitangi Tribunal.
The government has effectively cleared house - appointing 8 new members - and combined with October’s appointment of former ACT leader Richard Prebble, that’s 9 appointees.
[I am not certain, but can only presume, Prebble went in first to assess the members and see who would be more amenable and less outspoken]
Only 5 existing members were kept.
That means they took out 10 existing members.
Those not renewed include Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Professor Tom Roa and Professor Rawinia Higgins.
Stuff reports those three professors are some of the country’s most highly regarded experts in mātauranga Maori.
Stuff’s Glenn McConnell also notes that “these changes are just the start for the Tribunal. The Government is promising to ‘refocus’ Waitangi Tribunal’s scope and purpose.”
Code: weaken and silence the formidable and intelligent Waitangi Tribunal. Shape them as allies to the Government’s mission and narratives.
I said last year that Year 1-2 of government was about changing laws, establishing frameworks. putting in friendly appointees and recruiting more Kiwi to their ideology.
Year 2-3 would be implementation [and continuing outstanding tasks] and Year 3 would mainly focus on marketing their “results” to the average Kiwi to win power again.
Anyway -
New members appointed to Waitangi Tribunal include, but are not limited to:
Carterton Mayor Ron Mark - former NZ First Minister
In a speech to Parliament House in 2017, then NZ First MP Ron Mark argued against the establishment of Maori wards.
Second term Carterton Mayor Ron Mark has also been in a dispute on Council, saying that the CEO and other Councillors were trying to bring an “attempted coup” on him.
Last year, Mark urged for an amalgamation of neighbouring councils, saying small councils 'won't survive' the National Govt’s water reform changes and needed to cut costs and merge.
Conservative “Blogger” and NZME Newstalk ZB Plus Staff Member - Philip Crump
Blogger, UK lawyer, and conservative commentator Philip Crump is a big winner under the NACT1 government - securing two official appointments within months.
Paul Goldsmith last year appointed Crump to the Board of NZ On Air (October 2024)
At the time, Spinoff’s Duncan Grieve reported that that appointment “sent a ripple of fear through the media.”
Crump was the man behind an anonymous conservative blog that became popular for attacking Labour’s 3 Waters, co-governance and the Posie Parker protesters.
In 2023, under his pseudonym, Crump called NZ’s transgender community “an increasingly radicalised campaign led by progressive elites” in a right wing bingo card frenzy.
Crump was ultimately outed by Business Desk as a former leveraged finance lawyer who had spent most of his career in London. In his new role as a political commentator, he penned an article for Spectator Australia - a publication deeply connected to the UK Tory Party.
Past editors of Spectator include Boris Johnson, Nigel Lawson, and presently Michael Gove.
Manawatu District Councillor Grant Hadfield
Hadfield is a Councillor who appears to subscribe to outlets such as The Platform, Philip Crump’s blog, and ACT groups.
His thought processes, and ways of reflection can be gleaned from his Facebook posts:
I won’t continue … but to think that some of our best academic, legal, and thoughtful minds have been replaced by … this.
Also a nod to the first Coalition government Waitangi Tribunal appointee and his thought processes:
Richard Prebble, former ACT Leader
Food for thought in terms of Prebble’s stance going into what should be a very serious and intellectually driven role.
Last year I noted this approach was on the cards, and inevitable.
But it’s still deeply disappointing when it happens.
BTW
Here’s the clip from last year where Sean Plunket tells David Seymour to clean house:
“There needs to be a pogrom This new government needs to clean house in a whole lot of areas, and take people appointed by the last government and are highly politicised if not radical … and you need to get the malcontents out of this government and public life.”
Seymour assured him the substance of those comments i.e. clearing house - was on the cards.
And it is.
And remains so.
Positive Note
On a positive note, today I saw this amazing submission from a Kiwi on the Treaty Principles Bill today:
The link to his 39 page submission for those who are interested
I thought, “That’s so great, Money can’t buy this type of spirit and energy.” It was great to see.
Quotes
Potaka is a traitor to his own people!
Love the diagram by Carl Chenery - gives much clarity to Seymour’s ‘imagined principles and set a positive pathway for the future to respect and honour Te Teriti and understand it. Having said that Seymour’s intent to give people equally rights under the law is a ‘smokescreen.’ He doesn’t want to give equal rights, he works for his corporate masters - they don’t want that. What they want is Te Tiriti abandoned so Aotearoa is available to international property investors (Seymour’s already overturned the overseas investment criteria), and they want to flog off state assets to corporates eg the x3 gentailers that has a 51% public share holding!