What is really going on here?

ActionStation Director, Kassie Hartendorp reflects on the big picture in current politics.

In the lead up to the election, I shared that in 2022, I met with leaders of ActionStation’s sister organisations around the globe to have an honest conversation about the direction we think the world is going in.

Together these organisations represent millions of people who have taken action for a fair and flourishing world. When asked about the biggest problem facing their countries, the answer was widespread: the rise of racist, hateful, right wing governments.

While many countries have been facing high living costs, ongoing housing crises, pandemic isolation and a deepening divide between the richest and poorest people — right wing parties have become stronger in the public arena.

The OPEN Network meeting in 2022 with sister organisations from around the world.

Instead of going to the root of our problems — such as the concentration of wealth and resources in the hands of the few(1)- these political parties simply blamed and distracted. In some countries, refugees were blamed, in others, transgender communities. They pointed the finger at government spending, promising fresh cuts which were sure to disadvantage the people who rely most on public services. Meanwhile, they distracted us from the corporate profiteers that were increasing their margins at our collective expense.

Most worryingly of all, they claimed the language of the oppressed. They cried freedom, while violently trampling the rights of others. They denounced division, while spurring on hate. They called for equality, while erasing historical injustice. It was confusing, disorientating and designed to make their ideas seem virtuous while their actions were harmful.

And now of course, it is all happening here.

We have a Coalition Government who have already rolled back policies that were created to look after communities struggling the most — from families(2), to tenants(3), to those with disabilities.(4) They have already defied the evidence and advice of experts by axing the smokefree goals(5), they have ignored the clear need for water infrastructure upgrades by repealing Three Waters(6), and gone against international best practice for workers by scrapping Fair Pay Agreements.(7)

But the centrepiece is the deluge of political attacks on Māori including the Treaty Principles Bill(8), the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora(9) and the rolling back of Te Reo in public services.(10)

It’s obvious to many of us what this really is.

A project aimed at emboldening racist ideas, and convincing people that Māori language, culture, leadership and self-determination are a threat. My hunch is that it also serves as a convenient distraction from other destructive policies being pushed through, while we (rightly) protect Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding agreement of our country.

We will not let a rise in racism destroy the relationships we have built together over 180 years.

What frustrates me the most is that many Māori have been wanting to have a genuine conversation about how we honour Te Tiriti into the future.

The banner for the Matike Mai Independent Working Group for Constitutional Transformation.

In 2016, I remember listening to the late Dr Moana Jackson share the findings from an incredible piece of work called Matike Mai. He worked with Professor Margaret Mutu, Dr Veronica Tāwhai and many others to hold over 250 hui around the country, asking Māori how they would like this country to be governed. It was a robust and thoughtful approach that listened to Māori from many different backgrounds.

What was overwhelmingly heard was that Māori wanted our country to make decisions according to shared values. Some of those values included community, belonging, balance, peace and mutual respect.

But the vision and voices of Māori were never intended to be respected in the ‘debate’ we are now being forced into. The proposed Treaty Principles Bill is about rewriting the foundation of a shared agreement, mutating it into a protection of property rights and attempting to erode what small gains Māori have made since bringing ourselves back from the verge of cultural extinction.

Our country deserves better. We all deserve better.

In the coming weeks, we will be asking what you think in our Annual Survey. ActionStation is connected to over 500,000 people in Aotearoa — our collective visioning is powerful.

Once we have heard from you, the team will bring together your thoughts and ideas, and share back what our collective plan for 2024 will be.

What we strongly anticipate, is that this may be our most active year yet. We have already heard that many of you are ready to take action, and steer our country towards a future that respects, includes and lifts up the mana of all of us.

Let’s face 2024 with the aroha and justness that our future deserves.

With love,

Kassie on behalf of the team at ActionStation.

PS. Now is the perfect time to learn more about Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Check out this reading guide from The Spinoff. You can also get more involved in the action by signing our petition to Honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi here.

PPS. If you’d like to keep us going while political times are tough, please consider becoming a regular donor, or increasing your donation. Every dollar we receive we put towards creating powerful, progressive change so we can all thrive.

References

1. World’s five richest men double their money as poorest get poorer The Guardian, 14 January 2024
2. Details of mini Budget, half year update revealed Newsroom, 20 December 2023
3. What the Coalition deal means for renters 1News, 29 November, 2023
4. ‘This is going to crush people’ — anti-poverty groups on possible benefit changes Pacific Media Network, 12 October 2023
5. New Zealand scraps world-first smoking ‘generation ban’ to fund tax cuts The Guardian, 26 November 2023
6. Government to scrap Three Waters ‘early next year’ 1News, 14 December, 2023
7. The hard-won, and swiftly lost, dream of Fair Pay Agreements The Spinoff, 22 December 2023
8. David Seymour says he won’t back down on Treaty bill The Spinoff, 29 January 2024
9. NZ PM responds to criticism about proposal to disband the Māori Health Authority Sky News, 20 December 2023
10. Cost of Government’s Te Reo removal policy could vary wildly across agencies Newshub, 29 November 2023