by Tan Copsey
Ok. Once again I’m going to take you back to the far ends of the earth for a little political update. And yes, the majority of you will never follow New Zealand politics, beyond laughing when we occasionally piss off the Americans or the French. But the resignation today of Don Brash, ex-leader of the conservative National party is arguably an event of more than just national significance. Why you ask? – well Dr Don had some marvellous features, he was an ex-Reserve Bank Governor who proposed wonderfully outlandish tax-cuts, he had an affair with a prominent member of one of the main business lobby groups, and best of all conducted some oh-so shady dealings with the Exclusive Brethren cult (yes politics is weird in NZ – on an almost American scale).
But the trivial stuff aside, Don Brash will be remembered for his famous Orewa (small town composed of dull pre-fab units on the edge of Auckland traditionally beloved by conservative politicians – think Swindon with a lovely beach) speech. In it he decried the dangerous trend towards racial separatism within New Zealand, directly challenging over-privileged Maori’s with their anarchic dreams of nationhood, and petty grievances relating to Pakeha (Maori word for White people) violations of the Treaty of Waitangi (founding document of NZ). Don was less than happy with both the bi-cultural basis of our beloved nation, and the trend towards an increasingly multi-cultural society with large Pacific Island and Asian communities. He preached integration on the basis of New Zealand, read white-European, cultural norms and actively sought to end the ongoing treaty settlement process – where Maori tribes were given reparations for lands expropriated during the colonial period. Abolishing the guaranteed representation for Maori in the form of seven tribally defined electorates, was another key electoral plank.
Brash’s ultimate failure, and the re-emergence of a more culturally enlightened faction within the National party that is for the Treaty, sends out positive signals for the future of the great New Zealand experiment. We have always been a country conditioned by our unique colonial history – the failure of those who seek to distort the implications of that history is to me a wonderful thing. But don’t take my word on it – I encourage you all to read the musings of my old mate Andrew Sharp on these and related issues, or check out James Bellich’s or Michael King’s wonderful histories of New Zealand. We’re a small, but by no means dull little country…
