In what has become a form of cultural bullying, today’s te reo is now heavily promoted by our far-left government. –Amy Brooke, Spectator (Australia) 26 September 2021

Telling it as it is

By Roger Childs

Along with Karl du Fresne, well-known Nelson journalist and author Amy Brooke is exposing the realities of life in New Zealand in the Spectator across the Tasman. Her most recent article was entitled No, New Zealand is not Aotearoa — a sentiment the majority of Kiwis would endorse. Polls on a name change for the country have always solidly rejected the concocted “Aotearoa”, which has no historical significance, in place of the more than three and a half centuries old name of New Zealand.

She also touched on the artificiality of te reo as a language, for which about 150,000 words have been invented and continue to be contrived, since British missionary William Williams first created a Maori dictionary in 1844.  The current movement to “maorify” the use of language in official circles which started with use of Aotearoa in passports and on bank notes, also came in for criticism. Furthermore, she bemoaned the fact that on radio, television and in the mainstream print media we are bombarded with the use of te reo, often without any translation.

Don Brash made this same point a few years back referring to the gabble of Maori on National Radio and was savaged by interviewer Kim Hill on her Sunday morning programme, in a major breach of the impartiality requirement in her conditions of employment.

Muriel Newman on Australian television

Former ACT politician and journalist Muriel Newman is the editor of the increasingly popular New Zealand Council for Political Research (NZCPR) which provides an online outlet for media personalities, historians and journalists to cover a wide range of topics critical of government policies and other issues affecting the country. 

Newman herself writes excellent in-depth analytical articles on NZCPR. The site has featured a number of items recently criticizing the trend towards apartheid in New Zealand based on increasing separatism between part Maori – about 16% of the population — and the rest of the people. Not surprisingly, criticism of the Jacinda government’s support for the He Puapua programme which, if fully carried out, will lead to joint Crown-Maori sovereignty by 2040, has also featured prominently.

New Zealand television will not seriously analyze He Puapua or discuss the increasing racial division of the population which is being promoted by the government led by its powerful Maori caucus. So Muriel Newman featured recently on Sky News Australia’s Bolt Report. Andrew Bolt’s programme analyses the issues of the day and the interviewer himself is understandably very well informed on current political developments in Australia and around the planet. 

He expressed amazement as Newman talked about New Zealand’s trend towards apartheid based along racial lines.

Suppressing the truth

There is major concern in many New Zealand circles about the proposed “hate speech” laws; the increasing censorship of letters to the editor in the mainstream media, and the on-going surveillances of online sites like Waikanae Watch, which voice strong criticism of the government.

These trends, and the increasing moves towards apartheid, are undermining the democratic values that have underpinned our society for decades. 

It is an indictment on Jacinda government policies that journalists are increasingly using Australian media outlets to voice their opinions. 

Over ten years ago respected environmentalist and author, Bill Benfield, ran foul of officialdom over the issue of poisoning the wildlife and land with 1080 and had to use the The Tasmanian Times to get his views in the media. In recent times Brooke, du Fresne and Newman have had to follow the same route.