Letters: Haka in the House - Parliament requires decorum, civility; explaining Treaty Principles Bill agendas

'Decorum and civility are appropriate and to be expected in Parliament'. Photo / Adam Pearse

Parliament requires decorum, civility

Contrary to your editorial I firmly believe that threatening behaviour in Parliament is not appropriate (NZ Herald, Nov 19).

Just as we condemned it in Julie Anne Genter, so we should condemn it in Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke and her supporters. Parliament is a place where many controversial and emotive topics are and have been debated.

Decorum and civility are appropriate and to be expected and continue to be of utmost importance if civilised debates and decisions are to be made. It is disappointing the Herald supports diminishing the stature and role of our democracy and our Parliament.

Lucas Bonné, Unsworth Heights.

Heartfelt response

Must Māori yet again bow down to the traditions of Westminster? While their haka would have been welcomed at Eden Park, it was not allowed in the House.

They were censured for their spontaneous, heartfelt response to yet another insult to be followed surely by a programme of disinformation throughout Aotearoa. I found it wholly appropriate.

Janet von Randow, Grey Lynn.

Explaining agendas

Te Pāti Māori does not have a secret agenda. It is quite open about its goals. Hansard provides the official transcript of virtually every word spoken in Parliament.

Speaking on the Treaty Principles Bill, Rawiri Waititi said: “Our role as Te Pāti Māori is not to be a part of this system but to create our own. What is the pathway forward for us, e te iwi? Tino rangatiratanga and self-governance is the ultimate goal”.

In contrast, on the same day, Hansard records David Seymour saying, “Thank you, Mr Speaker. It [the Treaty Principles Bill] commits to protecting the rights of everyone, including Māori, and upholding Treaty settlements. It commits to give equal enjoyment of the same fundamental human rights to every single New Zealander. The challenge for people who oppose this bill is to explain why they are so opposed to those basic principles.”

So … one nation or two?

Alex Findlay, Pukekohe.

Emotional rhetoric

I have seen the beat-up on Act and David Seymour and can fathom no reason why. This seems a perfectly reasonable bill. I have not heard from Te Pāti Māori, the Greens or Labour any reasonable argument why they would not support this bill.

I have seen childish name-calling, irrational over-reaction and threatening behaviour. Stand up each and every party and state your problems with this piece of legislation, not just your emotional rhetoric.

Kevin Matthews, Auckland CBD.

Archaic culture

David Seymour tells us the Treaty is an equal partnership that accords no special privileges based upon heritage.

In light of this argument he must be celebrating the haka in the House. After 180 years in which our parliamentary practices have been steeped in archaic British culture, equality must mean that it’s time tikanga got a look in.

Jackie Brown-Haysom, Northcote.

Revenue collecting

It’s a no-brainer but as always happens here, it takes researchers and an inquiry to state the bleeding obvious - if you’re a serial speedster or a serial drunk driver then of course a harsher penalty should be enforced.

Same with cellphones whilst driving. But police here go will routinely after drivers who may be momentarily 5km/h too fast or who accidentally move into a bus lane 10 metres too early rather than going after those who grossly abuse the law. There surely has to be a significant degree of revenue collecting involved rather than real law enforcement.

Paul Beck, West Harbour.

Supporting police

Last century, one of the cosiest jobs in government was Police Minister. Not so today, where crime is very prominent in the community and police actions are continually under the microscope.

One would have to be a special person to join the force as it is in too many ways a thankless task. Mark Mitchell was passed the baton and it is obvious as an ex-policeman his heart is in the job. Perhaps his persona could be best explained by saying - If he looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck then he may just be a duck.

However, to do his job he needs the support from the top and that means putting the culling knife in the back pocket. In other words give them the tools and they will do the job.

Reg Dempster, Albany.

Wistful thinking

As a native of Auckland, I have been cynical on all the money wasted on cycleways and associated infrastructure. Today I am in Christchurch, where cycling was always an important pastime. Here there is all the infrastructure that any cyclist could desire.

Today is fine and I did not see one person cycling, it is very obvious that cycling is only valued by a tiny minority, who don’t practise what they preach. I know that some people cycle for fun, but they weren’t today.

The millions wasted by Auckland Transport on this wishful thinking is rather tragic and cycling just remains a wistful thought.

Neville Cameron, Coromandel.