In September Jamie Whyte was going to Parliament, Act brayed … and then he was poll-axed

So Jamie Whyte has thrown in the towel. For now, anyway.

He has resigned as  leader of the Act Party after failing to secure a seat in last month’s election.

According to this report in the Herald:

“Today I announce that I have tendered, and the board has accepted, my resignation as Leader of Act New Zealand,” Mr Whyte said in a statement.

“Clearly I make this announcement with regret, however the election result is clear, and I must now turn to my career and my family.

“I stood to lead Act because I believe in the party’s ideas. I will continue to advance these ideas both inside and outside the Party. I do not rule out returning to a substantial role with Act in the future.”

Uncle Jim hasn’t got his bullet – and the courts don’t have their body-snatch ruling upheld, either

But Uncle Jim’s mana so far is beyond the reach of this lot.

Alf has been keeping an eye out for signs of the Crown wanting to have the law upheld.

But no. The law remains defied and the body of James Takamore remains buried in Tuhoe country, contrary to a Supreme Court ruling on where it should go, which is back to Christchurch and into the hands of the dead man’s wife.

Curiously, so far as the Grumbles’ research can establish, ACT leader Jamie Whyte has been remarkably quiet on this matter. After all, it looks like a clear case of one law for indigenous persons and another law for the rest of us, which is something Jamie has been railing against.

Body snatching a grave offence? It depends (Tuhoe will tell you) on whose law you want to observe

You want me to sort it out?

The headline on a Rotorua Post report on June 19 was more than a mite premature with what it told us.

It said:

Man laid to rest on seventh anniversary of death

Wrong.

The accompanying story told readers that one James Takamore would be laid to rest in Christchurch on the seventh anniversary of his death, but the location was being kept a closely guarded secret.

As it turns out, James Takamore’s body is being closely guarded too.

Jamie Whyte must learn (we are told) that the media feast on a good quote but scrap the context

A bloke called Dave Armstrong, who seems to fancy himself as a newspaper columnist for the Dom-Post, has done a splendid job of bringing the attention of we politicians to the shortcomings of the news media.

Especially its inclination to seize on a spicy quote then remove the context.

Armstrong has added his voice to the chorus of anguished Kiwis who deplore anything that hints of racism, especially if it happens to involve special arrangements for our indigenous persons.

If Jamie thinks real hard, maybe he will see that our aristocracy differs from the French bunch

Marie Antoinette lost her head … maybe Jamie did too.

So what does a philosopher do?

Thinks about things, the way Alf understands the philosophy caper.

And having done a bit of thinking about things, your basic philosopher might venture to express his or her opinions – but second thoughts are recommended before you express them publicly in this country.

Some thoughts are best left unexpressed – such as thoughts about one law for all.

Or co-governance arrangements whereby only 50 per cent of representatives on a public body are publicly elected and the rest are appointed by iwi.

Advocating one electoral system for all, indeed, is politically hazardous.

Try discussing Maori seats for example, and see where that gets you.

In big shit with Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy, as it happens.

Jamie has stuck his neck out on that special law stuff and – yep – has smartly been told he is a racist

Which one is regarded as special by that UN thing we signed?

It looks like the special treatment of our indigenous persons is shaping up as a campaign issue – if it isn’t quickly snuffed.

It also looks like anyone who says our indigenous persons are given special treatment will be denounced as racists.

Alf accordingly would never raise such questions.

He wonders about the political wits (and balls) of those who do.

One of them is ACT Party leader Jamie Whyte. Another is New Zealand First’s Winston Peters.

According to a report from Radio NZ, they both say ordinary Maori do not benefit from what they call race-based laws.

But the Maori Party – bless them – said the ACT Party and New Zealand First are vying for the redneck vote.

And they say Jamie’s ideas have no place in New Zealand politics.

If they have no place in our politics, of course, they can’t be discussed.

End of story.