Joe Trinder

Aotearoa race relations is now at a boiling point with stupid comments being made about Māori by decorated Knights.

Recently Sir William Gallagher claimed redress for land theft by the colonial government were “bloody reparations” to Māori and that the Treaty was a rort.

Sir Bob Jones in the NBR wants a Māori gratitude day where Māori serve British NZers breakfast in bed weed their gardens, wash and polish their cars. Basically a day of slavery as gratitude for colonisation.

Both men as chivalrous Knights of her Majesty the Queen, endowed with principles of honour, integrity, distinction and glory. But these captains of industry have been acting like medieval feudal Knights from the dark ages making public statements that Māori the most underprivileged people in the land remain mere peasants that should serve their lords in serfdom.

Māori have had a gutsful. The racism needs to stop NOW . Māori expect to be respected as tangata whenua, first class citizens, whose Tupuna founded this nation and who also signed the Treaty that permitted British immigrants the privilege of living in the most beautiful country on earth. No conquest took place. It was a benevolent agreement by the rangatira, tribes and hapu .

Gallagher and Jones were born into a country where Māori were relegated to second class citizens in New Zealand society. Māori culture was limited in the media where radio presenters spoke with pompous British accents and who vilified Māori renaissance.

These Knights have failed to understand Aotearoa has changed dramatically in the 21st century. News presenters like Guyon Espiner and Jack Tame entwine Te Reo Maori, the native reo into their news broadcast as do announcers in Hawaii, Rarotonga and Tahiti.

At the Waitangi Day commemorations, Prime Minister Jacinda Adern was highly praised in Māori circles for her warmness and inclusive approach at Waitangi . For some reason , Māori leaders were subdued and never spoke about the Wai claim, TPPA- perhaps giving the Prime Minister a year’s grace.

After the overwhelming support of Renae Maihi petition to strip Sir Bob Jones of his Knighthood, the Māori electorates want to see some results for their majority voting for Labour. They want to see a Government that is seen to be on their side. A Government that isn’t afraid to make an example of Sir Bob Jones and won’t protect the feelings of non-Māori voters that feel animosity towards Māori.

The Knighthood stripping drive needs to be led by prominent Labour MPs to show they have influence within their organisation. If the MPs don’t believe this is a genuine test I suggest they count how many times they see Sir Bob Jones image on their Facebook feeds.

Did we all notice Mike Hoskings is gone from 7pm News? One influential racist removed from his media post. Ka pai Māori opinion counts.