Rob Campbell: A Pākehā/tangata Tiriti view on equity/Tiriti issues

Signing the country's founding document The Treaty of Waitangi. Image / Alexander Turnbull Library

OPINION

There are some big and contentious issues around about equity and te Tiriti. They are all far from simply electoral issues but the election process is adding some gasoline to the fire.

There are those who fear both the fire and the issues which fuel it. I know people from both sides (and let’s not kid ourselves that there are not sides) who have that fear.

They fear both the process and the range of uncertain but possible outcomes. These people would rather park the issues for a better time or forever. I understand some of that but it is not realistic. Like the climate crisis, it is here now.

You could take the view of the slogan of “feel the fear and do it anyway”. Accept the reality of the issues and progress them to a mutually satisfactory conclusion for all. Or on the other side you might look to turn the clock back or backtrack on the issues. My view is that we are past the point at which this is an option. There is no putting the cork back into the bottle.

Kaumatua Ned Peita leads the hīkoi from Te Tii Marae to the Treaty Grounds. Photo / Peter de Graaf

It has turned out that colonisation is not a one way street. In Joe Louis’ boxing terms we “can run but not hide”.

For all of us, including tangata Tiriti/Pākehā, I think it is really important that we are courageous and positive about the issues. To do this we have to ditch the idea that these issues are about “privilege” or even simply about resolving “grievances” or “deficits”.

These concepts all suggest zero sum debates. And frame debate away from equity and rights.

Now the truth is that there is a lot of privilege which impacts the issues. The historical privilege of the settler over the colonised is pretty hard to argue against.

Many have tried, though there is a very good recent book about it (Privilege in Perpetuity by Peter Meihana) which turns the tide effectively.

I have referred many Pākehā to that book and none have yet come back saying they still want to argue “Māori privilege”. Though a few do find another way to justify their stance from the regrettably ample grab-bag of racist excuses.

Similarly we have seen some bemoan the “grievance industry” on behalf of Māori, eg Brash at Orewa. But claiming a right or equity is not a grievance. It is a positive assertion. The “grievance” terminology itself frames debate away from the positive.

Advocates for equity in many areas of life spend effort identifying deficits in outcomes. I am often guilty of that. These deficits do exist and they are reflections and outcomes of inequity. Sometimes such framing is needed to draw attention or to convince those with power that change is necessary. (Disclosure : they typically do know already).

But as many activists have learned constant repetition of deficit or reduction of deficit also frames debate in a limited, even negative manner. This impacts both sides.

The real change which is occurring these days in equity debates is that advocates are framing positively. In terms of rights.

You can see this in many areas - for disabled communities, gender and others. It is certainly up front in Te Pāti Māori’s “Proud to be Māori” slogan.

Social change is most effectively driven by a “for” stance than one based on “against”. Mana motuhake and tino rangatiratanga are more the real challenges being issued than “please even up these deficits for us”.

From my view this is a great thing. If we can, consistent with te Tiriti i.e. together, create a society which has that level of genuine respect and freedom for Māori then that is also a base for comparable relationships for the other peoples who have come here, be that from related islands in the same ocean or from much further away.

For Pākehā the only realistic and human choice is to visualise a day (here already in many of our communities and certainly coming) where we are not the clear numerical majority, not the main holders of land, money and power.

Just one part of it all.

If we take that view we do not have to be grudging or negative or reactionary. We can see how silly debates about “co-governance” and “special treatment” are – the social equivalent of debating potholes while climate destroys whole districts.

Rob Campbell. Photo / Michael Craig

Rob Campbell is a professional director and investor. He is chancellor at AUT, chairman of Ara Ake, chairman of NZ Rural Land, an adviser for Dave Letele’s BBM charity. He is also the former chairman of Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ).