Green Separatism on steroids - Shane Jones

The Greens released their (as described by my Leader Winston Peters) Marxist Budget. While the focus has been on the economic lunacy and their free-for-all social policy platform, there wasn't much mention of the separatism-on-steroids that will further divide our society.

The Greens threaten to open the separatism flood gates by abolishing the 2008 deadline to lodge new claims to the Waitangi Tribunal. Not only that, they aim to provide a specific category of climate financial redress.

These crazy policies will radicalise the Waitangi Tribunal and drag the claim process on for many more decades - at the expense of the taxpayer.

This is what a Green party in government will look like, and we need your support to keep them from any influence in government.

We campaigned on pragmatic policies to fight the creeping separatism and restore equal rights to all New Zealanders.

This is why we stopped He Pua Pua - Labour's plan to incorporate cogovernance across our country - and stopped cogovernance in the delivery of public services.

Recently I spoke out about the ethnic warping of our democracy. In particular, I called out Te Pāti Māori for its arrogant and disrespectful trampling of the rules and traditions that protect and sustain our democracy.

New Zealand First stands against these parties bent on destroying equal rights for all.

And our practical policies are cutting off their extremism at every turn.

In 1975, the Waitangi Tribunal was created. That's decades before MMP.

Fifty years on it is high time it is reviewed.

New Zealand First fought for this long overdue assessment. We are committed to amending this mildewed legislation that has been increasingly creatively interpreted by the activist class in order to create a wider false mandate for itself.

Credibility is critical in our democracy and the Waitangi Tribunal is severely lacking in that department. We are voted in to Parliament to deliver results on behalf of voters and voters want us to shine the torch of scrutiny on the Tribunal. New Zealand First, in securing this independent review, is ensuring the torch is a floodlight..

The time has come for the Waitangi Tribunal to take a statutory haircut. No more straying off script nor pursuing ideological fancies such as parallel sovereignty. Our position has always been to push for full and final Treaty Settlements and that's what the Tribunal needs to focus on.

The review will require input from stakeholders beyond iwi litigators and Crown Law. An Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) will lead the process. They have a tough job ahead of them and we wish the ITAG the best as they undertake this critical piece of work.

The Treaty of Waitangi is being wielded as a weapon in debates well beyond its purpose.

Too many meddlers are using the Tribunal as a forum to challenge the supremacy of parliament and the right of Governments to govern. The Waitangi Tribunal has waded into government policy such as the amendments to Oranga Tamariki and the Fast-Track consent process, just to name a couple. We know Kiwis do not want our founding document turned into play dough by Treaty litigators.

New Zealand First will bring the Tribunal back to its original intent. This is one of our practical commitments that will reverse the erosion of the principle of equal citizenship. This has been a substantial focus of ours, as evidenced by how we:

Removed co-governance from the delivery of public services

Directed that the provision of public services is prioritised on the basis of need, not race

Confirmed that UNDRIP has no binding legal effect on New Zealand

Restored local referendum on the establishment or ongoing use of Maori wards

Stopped all work He Pua Pua - Labour's plan for co-governance

Abolished the Maori Health Authority

Started work to amend section 58 of the Marine and Coastal Area Act to recognise all New Zealanders have an interest in our coastal waters.

Committed to conducting a comprehensive review of all legislation that includes 'The Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi'.

We have been flat out for eighteen months delivering on our promises to you and we will have our foot down on the accelerator for the next eighteen months too. Our party will not let up for one second on defending equal rights.

We don't do what is easiest, we put forward pragmatic solutions in order to reverse the erosion of the principle of equal citizenship.

Before you know it, the election year will be upon us and we will be asking you and other New Zealanders to support our practical responses to the ethnic warping of our democracy. Only New Zealand First has been standing boldly against separatist ideology of the Maori Party. Only New Zealand First provides policies and ideas that actually work.

Authorised by H. Howard, 91 Makino Road, Feilding