Tino rangatiratanga flag wrong symbol for Waitangi day The Kiwi Party
Press Release
16 December, 2009

“The Prime Minister’s support for the flying of the Maori Party flag on Waitangi Day takes the National Party’s commitment to hold on to power at any cost to a new high, and their obvious lack of foundational principles to a new low,” said Kiwi Party leader Larry Baldock.

“Claiming that all Maori now accept the Tino Rangatiratanga/Maori Party sovereignty flag as their new symbol after a few hui and 1200 submissions hardly carries any real weight. On such an important matter why not hold a referendum to truly gauge the opinion of those concerned?

“It is like the Maori Party claiming that the hui they held across the nation in 2007 showed wide support for the anti-smacking law when the results in the referendum in 2009 in the Maori electorates showed a ‘no vote’ of well over 80%.

“If we are talking of symbols for Waitangi Day it might be worthwhile flying two flags on the Auckland harbour bridge, perhaps even three, but the Maori Party flag, also well known as the Maori sovereignty flag, would not be one of them.

The 1835 United Tribes of New Zealand flag would definitely have symbolic and historical significance. Given that Waitangi Day celebrates the birth of NZ as a nation with the signing of a treaty between the Crown and Maori it would also be appropriate as a symbol to fly the Union Jack alongside the United Tribes flag. Then to complete the picture, the New Zealand Flag could be flown between or above both these flags symbolising the birth of our nation and the coming together of two races to form one nation.

"That symbol would be accurate, historic and unifying. The flying of the Tino Rangatiratanga flag alongside the NZ flag makes a mockery of what our shared bi-cultural history and our Flag is all about. 'One Nation - two peoples - equal citizens under one law for all.'

"Our history sadly reveals many breaches of the ideals of the Treaty that we must work through as a nation. This is a process that is taking considerable time and resources but can lead to a better future for all New Zealanders. But flying a flag which somehow implies that Maori never ceded sovereignty to the Queen at the signing of the treaty of Waitangi to become British subjects and ultimately New Zealanders, is just nonsense.

Having aspirations for some autonomy over their tribal, cultural and social affairs as promised in the Treaty, is a completely different matter from the defiant claims of sovereignty by a few. The latter should not be given any encouragement through the symbolism now to be hoisted on our national day," Mr Baldock said.

ENDS

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