We are at a constitutional crossroad. In one direction is liberal democracy, the familiar formula that the country as we know it was built upon. In the other direction is co-governance, a prescription of power sharing between one ethnic group and all others.
Labour is pushing its co-governance agenda through a range of laws:
The Māori Health Authority means healthcare is being prioritised by race, not by need.
The Three Waters reforms still include 50:50 co-government of centralised water services.
Ngāi Tahu can appoint two voting members to the otherwise democratic Canterbury Regional Council.
Oranga Tamariki is required by law to honour the Treaty when making decisions about Māori children in state care.
Ethnicity is used to prioritise and even restrict access to healthcare services.
ACT would make three major changes to alter New Zealand’s constitutional course:
ACT has a vision of a society in which no one is treated differently based on who their ancestors were.