Political parties welcomed the late King\u2019s message, often invoking his name as they preach unity which has the useful bonus of appearing in lock-step with one of the most influential figures in M\u0101oridom.<\/p>\n
So two years on, are politicians walking the talk? What would K\u012bngi T\u016bheitia have thought if he\u2019d been watching the developments from Waitangi this week? <\/p>\n
There\u2019s enough to suggest he might have taken a dim view. <\/p>\n
The late K\u012bngi T\u016bheitia at the 2024 Waitangi celebrations. Photo \/ RNZ<\/p>\n
Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori has, by some distance, shown itself to be as far from unified as it has ever been. <\/p>\n
Co-leader Rawiri Waititi\u2019s olive branch on the paepae yesterday to the man central to his party\u2019s dysfunction sent a stir among Ng\u0101puhi that months of mudslinging was about to end. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s what makes the haka that followed Waititi so disappointing \u2013 the party built to carry a uniquely M\u0101ori voice wanting to return to that mission but in the end causing more division. <\/p>\n
Ng\u0101puhi\u2019s decision to effectively withdraw its support for Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori after Kiri Tamihere-Waititi\u2019s display aimed at Eru Kapa-Kingi and his mother Mariameno was done for the same reason that likely inspired the haka; protecting one\u2019s own. <\/p>\n
Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori co-leader Rawiri Waititi was seen to deliver an olive branch to resolve his party’s inner turmoil. Photo \/ Jason Dorday<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, building the walls higher around your own camp does little to help build bridges. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s a challenge Waititi seems to accept: \u201cThis kotahitanga, unity, it is difficult. If it was easy, our ancestors would have accomplished it themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ng\u0101puhi elder Hone Sadler agreed while addressing Parliamentarians yesterday: \u201cIt is not an easy task.\u201d<\/p>\n
Labour and the Green Party did their best through a joint media stand-up, intended to stand in contrast with a \u201cchaotic\u201d coalition. <\/p>\n
But that too was upended with what became a quite sad exit from politics for Peeni Henare. <\/p>\n
Much has been speculated on what has prompted the MP of 12 years, a man touted as a possible leader, to suddenly leave Labour and in such an untidy way. <\/p>\n
Labour has done its best to starve the kumara vine of gossip but it hasn\u2019t been able to shake the impression Henare\u2019s differences with the leadership at least partly informs his decision. <\/p>\n
Labour leader Chris Hipkins and senior MP Willie Jackson speak to media. Photo \/ Jason Dorday<\/p>\n
Henare has hardly made it easy for the party, leaving Chris Hipkins with egg on his face by allowing his decision to spread online without giving his party a heads up. It strikes as odd given Henare\u2019s defence of Labour in his subsequent interviews, but perhaps that reflects where his loyalties lie. <\/p>\n
Putting to one side the obvious contradiction of claiming to be the vision of unity in those circumstances, the saga evoked a real sadness from Henare\u2019s Ng\u0101puhi wh\u0101nau. <\/p>\n
All spoke of Henare as a much-loved figure in the north and to exit in such a way tarnished what should have been a welcoming home for one of the north\u2019s favourite sons. <\/p>\n
Labour\u2019s political opponents needed no encouragement to amply any sign of dissent in the ranks. <\/p>\n
But neither of the three parties have shown themselves to be perfect examples of kotahitanga. <\/p>\n
Winston Peters\u2019 final message in a heated address on the marae was to declare all those questioning his eventual success to either get on board now or face the consequences; hardly the most collegial approach. <\/p>\n
National\u2019s Christopher Luxon has been at pains this term to convince the public disagreement within his coalition is perfectly normal. It was the same argument Hipkins made as he stood next to Green co-leaders campaigning to take over his tax agenda. <\/p>\n
Both are completely right; no one should expect alignment on everything. But if voters are to accept that, they need clarity, particularly in the context of coalition negotiations. <\/p>\n
Luxon swears until he\u2019s blue in the face Act\u2019s Treaty Principles Bill and everything it represents is a dead duck. <\/p>\n
Leaders of the coalition Government listen during the Parliamentary p\u014dwhiri. Photo \/ Jason Dorday <\/p>\n
Seymour, however, dismisses the bill\u2019s defeat as a \u201cpyrrhic victory\u201d, claiming the need to redefine the Treaty\u2019s principles will be inevitable reform. <\/p>\n
Whether that occurs through its opponents having a change of heart, as Seymour suggests, or through the horse-trading of coalition politics is anyone\u2019s guess. It\u2019s likely voters will be none the wiser should Luxon and Seymour return to Auckland\u2019s Cordis Hotel in nine months\u2019 time for another round of talks.<\/p>\n
There is much about Waitangi that does lend itself to unity and collaboration.<\/p>\n
Luxon doesn\u2019t have much time for what takes place on the marae, but he relishes the conversations behind the scene where he feels he can make tangible progress. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s not as if he doesn\u2019t have willing partners, as Ng\u0101ti Hine\u2019s Waihoroi Shortland articulated yesterday. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf we don\u2019t want to talk to the Crown, who can we talk to? <\/p>\n
\u201cThe trees won\u2019t give it back to us. The birds sing a lovely song but we\u2019re not on the same page.\u201d<\/p>\n
If political parties can leave the \u201chistrionics\u201d at the door, as Luxon would put it, perhaps they\u2019re a chance of fulfilling the future K\u012bngi T\u016bheitia envisioned. <\/p>\n
Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald\u2019s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whang\u0101rei and the Herald in Auckland.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Political parties welcomed the late King\u2019s message, often invoking his name as they preach unity which has the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":269886,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[2246,9980,17438,3278,71,111,43,139,5006,69,1118,9981,30503,10534,61,24182,27704],"class_list":["post-269885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-2246","tag-adam","tag-easy","tag-facts","tag-from","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-not","tag-nz","tag-of","tag-pearse","tag-promises","tag-see","tag-to","tag-unity","tag-waitangi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269885"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269885\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269886"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}