In response to this GWRC media release, Roger Childs comments:

It is such a pity that most of the Maori élites, politicians and academics, and their fellow travellers, regard themselves as a separate people. All Maori have more settler/colonist blood than Polynesian. They are fundamentally New Zealanders and have the same needs and interests as other Kiwis. I’m sure most New Zealanders with some Maori blood think the same. Governments both central and local, have looked after “Maori” excessively for decades and sadly this had led to separatism, tribalism and division.

It’s time to see ourselves as one nation. Pride in ethnicity is understandable whether it be Samoan, Tongan. Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Maori or whatever, but for all citizens of the country regardless of their origins, their first culture is Kiwi. Shane Reti, the likely next Minister of Health, once said that we should meet people’s needs on the basis of those needs not on their race.

Having a separate constituency on the Wellington Regional Council for “Maori” makes no sense. What will the Maori representative do that would be different from other regional councillors? All elections should be based on the democratic principle that people will be voted in on the basis of merit, not ethnicity. Wellington electors in the last local body elections voted in a part-Maori mayor because they obviously considered her the best person for the job.

There should be no separate Maori seats in parliament or separate places on local bodies. Governments have a responsibility to meet all their constituents needs as they are Kiwis with varying backgrounds, but a common milieu.