Liberty Belle: The power of the State
Deborah Coddington's Liberty Belle
The powers of the State are enormous and terrifying when abused. You sail along in life assuming that when things do go
wrong and an agent - or agents - of the State overstep the mark then good people will be outraged and wrongs will be
righted.
It is certainly this outrage, which led New Zealanders to accept - with exceptions - that indeed the State had abused
its powers when land, which was clearly owned outright by Maori, had been seized by a Government. Maori owners were seen
as an easy target, and property rights had been trashed.
We did our best, as tolerant people with a strong sense of fairness, to rectify those wrongs by giving the land back.
Bastion Point and the Raglan Golf Course spring to mind.
But then the pendulum swung the other way and the Treaty of Waitangi was abused by judicial activism. Property rights
not even anticipated in 1840, such as broadcasting frequencies, were claimed by Maori and awarded by apologist
politicians. Two wrongs suddenly did make a right (if you'll excuse the pun). Or, to put it another way, everything went
too whänau.
As an MP I'm continually outraged by stories people bring to me where citizens going about their everyday life suddenly
have their worlds turned upside down by agents of the State.
Recent allegations about the police force - gang rape, undercover activities involving cannabis, are two examples. Law
enforcement officers, who have the power to arrest for such crimes, and who we pay to defend our rights, should be
absolutely above suspicion when things get tacky.
And what about children? We are all horrified when we hear stories about children being abused by their parents. We're
quick to act and pass judgement when itinerant boyfriends of careless mothers sexually or physically attack their
children.
What horrifies me is the evidence I've seen whereby agents of the State who've never been made accountable have attacked
children while in the care of the State. Despite this despicable behaviour being brought to the attention of those with
the power to right a severe wrong, nothing has been done.
I have spoken with and met people with far greater grievances than many iwi claimants, but quick as a flash, nothing has
happened.
Until now. Watch this space.
Liberty Belle is a column from Deborah Coddington, Member of Parliament for ACT New Zealand. If you would like to be
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