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Speaking of irresponsible statements by NZ First MPs…
By Steven | February 14, 2013
In this Campbell Live interview about Richard Prosser’s idiotic column, NZ First leader Winston says this (denying that NZ has a successful multicultural society):
Right now, we have a review commission going on about a Constitution to make the Treaty of Waitangi the cornerstone of our future Constitution.
This is – how shall I put this? – tosh. This is made clear in Karl du Fresne’s odd but ultimately accurate article about the constitutional review in the Listener last year, an article that could be summarised thusly:
Oh my God! They’re going to put the Treaty in our Constitution! Man the barricades. Oh. Wait. No, they’re not. Phew!
Michael Cullen, a member of the advisory panel, tries to put the concerns to bed here, pointing out that the review’s brief is to try to provide information about various aspects of our constitional, stimulate debate, and report back to Ministers about whether there’s anything worth thinking further about. Lauching the review, Bill English emphasised that there would be no changes without widespread consensus.
The role of the Treaty in the Constitution is one of the things they’re looking to have us debate. But I’m sure even Peters realises that there is little realistic prospect of it becoming the cornerstone of our constitution. Handy tool for scare-mongering and subject-changing though.
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