The reaction to the front page ad last Wednesday has been extraordinary. In public, prominent Māori figures have loudly accused Hobson’s Pledge of misinformation, racism, hatred, and more. In private, our inbox has been hit with explicit death threats the likes of which we have never seen before [which is specifically illegal, but did Commissioner Coster care? —Eds].
We are not backing down. We are running another full page ad in the New Zealand Herald on Wednesday.
This ad will give New Zealanders the chance to fact check us themselves. Te Pāti Māori, Willie Jackson, and other activists have accused us of ‘misinformation’ and ‘lies,’ so we are ‘showing our working’.
Here is a sneak peek (subject to going through the NZ Herald legal team):
There was nothing disparaging or untrue in our ad, but you can judge that for yourself. Accusations of misinformation have been levelled without evidence or even specifics of what exactly we have got wrong.
Given the map was sourced from Te Kete Kōrero a Te Takutai Moana Information Hub (Kōrero Takutai) on the Te Arawhiti Māori Crown Relations website we would expect it to be accurate. Likewise, our information on the rights that come with Customary Marine Titles was sourced from the Te Arawhiti Māori Crown Relations website.
The level of rage the ad generated speaks to the degree to which radicals have whipped their supporters into a frenzy. It is concerning and appears to be escalating.
We have been clear that we abhor political violence and that all of our activism and advocacy is utterly non-violent. Judging by the messages we have received in the past few days, our opponents do not take the same position.
Our opponents appear not to be angry because we said anything false, but because we printed truthful information that they do not want to be widely understood. Whatever your position on customary rights to the foreshore and seabed, New Zealanders having access to more information about it shouldn’t be a negative.
The information is already there on a Government website, we are simply drawing attention to it.
Those flinging accusations of misinformation need to front up with evidence to demonstrate what is incorrect.
Is it not true that almost our entire coastline is currently under High Court Application for customary title? Because the map on a Government website says that is the case.
Is it not true that Customary Marine Title gives iwi the right to veto (say ‘yes’ or ‘no’) to resource consents and conservation activities? Because that’s what the Te Arawhiti website says.
Is it not true that it gives iwi the right to be notified and consulted about marine mammal watching permits and Coastal Policy Statements? Again, see the website.
Is it not true that declarations of wāhi tapu can restrict access to areas?
Is it not true that Customary Marine Title grants iwi ownership of minerals other than petroleum, gold, silver, uranium, and in some circumstances pounamu?
Is it not true that iwi are granted all “newly found taonga tūturu” (treasures of cultural significance)?
And is it not true that iwi can create and lodge plans for the management of natural and physical resources that must be taken into account by local authorities and government? According to the Government’s own website all of this is true.
Te Pāti Māori should be condemned for attempting to strong arm the media into not publishing advertisements that they disagree with. They are interfering in commercial relationships. The kind of power they are demanding is intoxicating and will not stop here. Once they know they can bully media they will use the same tactics on other issues and other advertisers. It starts to look like cartel behaviour when activists coordinate to bully businesses which publish information that they don’t want shared.
I repeat, the information on our ad was factual and sourced from a Government website. We said that we don’t agree with the status quo. If discussing legislation and its implications is now beyond the pale and generates such visceral anger, we are in big trouble. Healthy democracies do not accept suppression of political discussion and dissent.
Te Pāti Māori and its proxies are welcome to share their alternative perspective, but they aren’t entitled to bully and silence their opponents.
Now is not the time to throw in the towel. Click here so we can do what Te Pāti Māori don’t want us to: spread the word to more New Zealanders.
Make sure you get your copy of the New Zealand Herald on Wednesday.
Update: the Herald caves in to TPM threats
Well, that was short-lived!
The New Zealand Herald has caved to the cancel mob of Te Pāti Māori activists and cancelled our full page ad booking in tomorrow’s paper.
Then this morning we found out that they have also cancelled full page ads that were booked and approved by their legal team last week to run in regional papers!
We booked this package of ads a couple of weeks ago.
The Herald told us:
I’m touching base as I wanted to let you know about a recent development regarding the upcoming advertisement from Hobson’s Pledge.
After careful consideration and in light of feedback we’ve received from our subscribers and our team, NZME has decided not to proceed with running the advertisement.
I wonder how many Hobson’s Pledge supporters are NZ Herald subscribers? Perhaps those of us who are should share some feedback with the New Zealand Herald also!
If you would like to share your thoughts, or talk about your subscription, send an email to:
It is outrageous that Te Pāti Māori and its posse of academics and activists are able to dictate what ads are published in the Herald. Not because the ad isn’t factual or because it’s objectively offensive, but because they don’t agree with the stance taken on legislation about to be debated in Parliament.
If we had placed an ad objecting to the Government’s plan to amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act to make the threshold for awarding Customary Marine Titles higher would the Herald have printed it?
If we had placed an ad saying that Māori never ceded sovereignty and so the entire coast is rightfully theirs anyway would the Herald have printed it?
Contested facts, political opinion, and differing perspectives.
You can see our ad below and judge for yourself if it is misinformation and offensive or if it is simply an ad providing sources for one particular perspective regarding Customary Marine Titles.
Don’t worry, this will not hold us back. We will find other ways to spread the message. Te Pāti Māori do not control everyone.
We wonder what advertiser they will object to next, now that they know the power they have.
Tell the Herald what you think!
Talk soon,
Don Brash
Good work Hobsons Pledge.
Keep up the pressure and they will finally boil over, perhaps they might try a revolution coup. Will Coster react like he did with the Covid jab peaceful protest down in the capital with severe police overkill?