New Zealand's indigenous Maori divided over opposition plan to abolish pri

[Judi Lynn]

8:29 am: New Zealand's indigenous Maori divided over opposition plan to abolish privileges

By RAY LILLEY | Associated Press
September 17, 2005

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A new political party representing New Zealand's indigenous Maori won four seats Saturday in an election dominated by an opposition party's vow to scrap Maori privileges.
(snip)

"To win four seats is a really proud moment for us," said triumphant Maori Party leader Tariana Turia. "We have created history. We're really proud of that," she told cheering supporters.

Main opposition National Party leader Don Brash had pledged that if his party gained a majority in Parliament, it would eliminate the seven seats set aside for Maori "before the next election," due within three years.

He has decried the set-aside seats as a form of apartheid, and pledged to end affirmative action programs for the Maori.
(snip/...)

http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/32616.html

[Spurt]

1. Poor reporting.

The election was definitely not dominated by the Maori seats debate.
An issue, yes. But a long way from dominant across the nation.

The column also states that no other party supports the proposition. That is nonsense.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Thanks for the into.

It's so hard to imagine anyone in the media would write misleading stories, isn't it? You often have to be able to intuit what it is they are hiding.

[Spurt]

3. I don't think the ...

...journo is hiding anything.

Just very poorly researched - grab a snippet of stray comment and build a column around it. Isn't that what most journo's do now?

[xchrom]

6. if only it were that simple...

[Judi Lynn]

4. Ruling Labour Likely to Win in New Zealand

Ruling Labour Likely to Win in New Zealand

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press Writer

September 17, 2005, 11:44 AM EDT


WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- Prime Minister Helen Clark's ruling Labour Party appeared likely to hold on to power after facing a strong challenge from the conservative opposition in parliamentary elections Saturday.

With all regular votes counted, Labour held 50 seats and the resurgent National Party had 49 in a new Parliament of 122 lawmakers, leaving the two leading parties to negotiate with other blocs to form a government.

Clark, seeking to become New Zealand's first Labour leader since World War II to serve three consecutive terms as prime minister, was believed to have a better a chance of finding enough allies. But National Party leader Don Brash, a former central bank governor, refused to concede.

Brash, who advocates scrapping New Zealand's 20-year-old nuclear-free policy in favor of stronger trade ties with the United States, rejuvenated his party by promising to scrap affirmative action programs for indigenous Maori.
(snip/...)

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-new-zealand-elections,0,1315866.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

[Cha]

7. May I just say..

"Fuck you don brash!"?

The US has nothing for you, asshole.

[Spurt]

9. Government could be a poisoned chalice

The outcome is not so clear when looking deeper....

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/event/story.cfm?c_id=1500891&ObjectID=10346121

[xxqqqzme]

5. the rethuglican mind control

spreads 2 New Zealand. No vaccine likely 2 B developed any time soon.

[Spurt]

8. Not how I see it at all.

Very difficult to draw any significant parallels between US & NZ right wings.
For that matter it is difficult to draw parallels between US & NZ politics in general. Very different animals in practice.
As one example, church and state are very much kept apart in NZ. There were 2 christian based parties (Destiny & Christian Heritage) in the election and neither gained more than a handful of votes (0.61% & 0.12%).

[zippy890]

10. thanks for your insights

I love New Zealand, visited there 20 years ago.

Beautiful, wonderful country, the most beautiful in the world IMO.

My husband & I have thought of retiring there, if they would allow us to.