Hīkoi and Treaty Principles Bill: A Māori Party masterclass on political branding - Ryan Bridge

Think of our politicians who have succeeded in pornography, liars, losers, the KKK and even

Could Christopher Luxon have stopped this vote at first reading? Former Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson said if Sir John Key had been in charge he would have looked at Seymour, called his bluff and voted against the bill last Thursday. When Seymour would inevitably have protested against such a breach of the coalition agreement, Finlayson believed that Key would have threatened to act against Seymour at Epsom, thereby endangering Act’s political existence. There is a lot to unpack, but I feel Luxon has more to prove to maintain a stable coalition than a popular image at this stage of his career as Prime Minister. Once the deal was signed, he had to keep his word, at the very least leaving Winston and his colleagues wondering what else might happen from the threat of a protest or a round of bad press.
This hīkoi was a masterclass in political branding and campaigning from Te Pāti Māori, who have left Labor in the dust and taken the lead both on the streets and in the House of Representatives. But what exactly is it that they want? The bill will be voted down, but Rawiri Waititi has repeatedly said this is not enough. He wants the creation of a separate Māori parliament. The party’s website points to the Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh devolved systems as examples of how this could work in practice. Let’s take the Scots as an example. Holyrood has its own legal system and is responsible for education, taxation, justice, healthcare, the environment, primary industries and some (but not all) welfare and transport. Is this also what hīkoi supporters want? If so, how would that work? Who would finance it? How do you set up a parliament for a specific group of people rather than a geographical area? And what happens to the jurisdiction of the 75% of Māori who do not support Te Pāti Māori? At the last election, more Māori voted National alone (22%) than Te Pāti Māori (16%). How would their origins play a role in the formation of a new parliament that they themselves may not support?