While so much of Maoridom have engaged with the government, settled and got on with their lives, the Far North is still as big a mess as it's always been.
Which is the other comparison we can make with Australia. By and large our national day is more harmonious because at least we've made a decent attempt at putting past wrongs right.
We have a treaty and we have a process to settle grievances brought about because of the treaty. Australia has no such thing.
But, although they have no such thing, we have made hard work of our effort.
The Waitangi Tribunal has been going for decades, deadlines have come and gone... billions have been paid out - and still we are not full and final when it comes to our history.
I'd still take our approach over Australia's any day of the week. But our approach is a very good example of good will gone array - good intention abused. And gravy trains galore when it comes to milking the process for all it's worth and some have done very nicely thank you out of our money being pumped into a process that's had increasingly less and less discipline around it.
As much as the prime minister might like to spend five days at Waitangi, it would do her well to remember that the country is a lot bigger than a small northern settlement. And that quite a few of us wouldn't mind a slightly different approach to our national day.
Less about the past -more about the future.
Less about grievances and more about productivity.
Less about race more about community... and multi-culturalism.
After all if you look back over the 150-plus years since the signing, add up all the good, all the advances, all the benefits, all the remarkable changes this country has gone through... then balance that up against those who claim the wrongs need addressing, they need independence, those who want a scrap… those who feel robbed and alienated -
the good wins hands down.
And given that, the appropriate amount of time and energy should be channelled in that direction don't you think?
