So why have we (but not iwi) been excluded from a Northland beach? Because of official laxity, it seems

It looks like our indigenous persons can chalk up another triumph in having craven public servants put iwi interests ahead of the wider public’s.

The bureaucrats in this tawdry tale of ineptitude are the tossers at the Overseas Investment Office who are dab hands at rubber-stamping applications for foreigners to buy chunks of the country but not so good at ensuring the conditions are met.

Mind you, they have done our indigenous persons a big favour in this case and will have earned lots of brownie points from their political masters in the Beehive.

Strictly speaking, as a member of the Government, Alf should be applauding them.

He will do so publicly (which may well help our team to keep the Maori Party on side).

But privately…

Struck off: the further disgrace of an ex-lawyer who once aspired to be a Maori Party MP

The Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal is showing a troubling disregard for the notion that indigenous persons should be regarded as special.

It has ruled that an ex-lawyer, one Davina Murray, be struck off because she was unanimously found “not a fit and proper person to operate as a legal practitioner”.

Bearing in mind the fitness and propriety of some legal practitioners of Alf’s acquaintance, this is a damning decision.

Because Murray is an indigenous person it seemed improbable she would be subjected to such harsh treatment.

But the NZ Herald today is reporting:

Forget about that freedom of speech stuff – Fox (Derek) thinks French editor got his just deserts

A fit punishment for bigots, in Derek Fox’s justice system.

Alf makes no secret of his belief we should bring back the hangman (or hangwoman in these enlightened times) to rid the planet of some more heinous criminals.

He is all for corporal punishment in schools, to discipline brats who need a good walloping, and he was right behind Crusher when it came to dealing with boy racers.

But the death sentence for cartoonists and satirists…

No-one – surely – believes making people laugh should be a capital offence.

Alf certainly doesn’t.

But he has found someone who does.

Maori Party congratulates former co-leader – but she also is reminded she has retired from politics

Have they got one of these things for my mouth?

A bit of political howz-yer-father within the Maori Party seems to have escaped the attention of the news media. This is not surprising, because the news media seem to be under instructions to ignore anything that happens unless it involves a road accident, a drowning, a mountain climb gone wrong, or some other form of tragedy.

Maori Party co-leaders, fair to say, joined others in congratulating Tariana Turia for the damehood thing that was bestowed upon her in the New Year Honours.

But they short-changed her in the whakapapa department by overlooking the papa side of her bloodline.

Hon Tariana Turia (Ngāti Apa, Ngā Wairiki, Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Whanganui) will forever be remembered in our nation’s history as the founding co-leader of the Māori Party. The Māori Party is the only indigenous party to be elected to New Zealand’s Parliament and to operate as an independent voice both in parliament and government.

Institutional racism is bad if it puts you behind bars but it’s good if it gets you into Parliament

The Maori Party is happy to go along with some forms of institutional racism.

“I keep this handy to deal with Winston Peters.”

Indeed, it encourages them and will excoriate critics who suggest they be got rid of.

It all depends on the nature of the outcome and who are the beneficiaries.

Winston Peters spotted a few of the Maori Party’s favoured forms of racism early this year (and for his troubles was denounced by the Maori Party, the greenies and the lefties).

Mr Peters, speaking at Ratana Pa, says his party would never support “separatist” Maori Party policies such as having separate Maori units in prison, the separate Maori social welfare system Whanau Ora and the Tino Rangatiratanga Flag.

Mr Peters says he could not work with the Maori Party as long as it keeps “separatist” policies.

“You can’t have a Crown that’s composed of two different groups – the rest and Maori. Either we’re all together or we’re all going to be separate,” he says.

Winston Peters disapproves of inexperience – but only when he is not calling the shots

The perpetual state of crisis with Winston was too much for her…

Alf’s personal best interests are under serious threat, as The Boss dishes out plum jobs to the one-seat-only parties that will form part of the new administrtion.

He hankers for a ministerial job and feels entitled to one.

But The Boss reckons the party’s best interests call for him to deliver a few baubles to the one-man bands.

Alf – as you would expect from a loyal Nat – is saying nothing about his disquiet.

But he isn’t going to stay silent when bloody Winston Peters shoots off his mouth. Again.

Peters will still be sulking about not being the king-maker, Alf imagines.

Tua fancies entering the political ring for a Maori party – but he isn’t too fussy about which one

Recently retired pugilist David Tua is obviously a man of great principle.

His principle is to join up with any political party, so long as it is a Maori party. Whether it leans to the right, the left or wherever is neither here nor there to him.

And so – we learn here today – he has talked with the Maori Party about entering politics.

And just to show how adept he is at ducking and weaving, he will be talking with Hone Harawira’s Mana Party next month.

Fun with Whanau Ora: one co-leader lessens the role of the ministry headed by another

Dunno if things are as they seem, around Whanau Ora.

But here’s how they seem, based on a reading of a report (here) at Stuff.

First, the report says Whanau Ora Minister Tariana Turia has outlined a new structure for her flagship social programme.

And second, it says Te Puni Kokiri will lose responsibility for distributing money under the new arrangement.

Sharples and Co can’t see the awful truth that Maori are voting by avoiding the Maori roll

Dunno what the problem is.

No matter how hard one tries, it is hard to find.

The Maori Party is banging on about it and demanding remedies, regardless.

It says it is concerned by the low numbers of Maori taking up the opportunity to switch from the General roll to the Maori roll and it is urging Maori voters to stand up for Maori representation and their Maori seats.

The notion that Maori voters might be perfectly content being on the General roll and – in Alf’s neck of the woods, anyway – able to vote for splendid Nats like him appears to have escaped them.

This demonstrates what an ethnocentric bunch they are.

Just a thought: how would the count go if the Maori Party voted today on the co-leadership?

Alf has to confess he pulled the stunt once, some years ago. Unsuccessfully. And embarrassingly.

Yep. He threatened to retire as member for Eketahuna North at the next election if he did not become National’s leader within 12 months.

He made the threat at a caucus meeting.

The reaction was….

Well, very sobering.