Ryan Bridge: The hīkoi was a good example of democracy working

Democracy is a delicate and fragile thing, and yesterday's protest was a good example of it working. 

People oppose something, they protest peacefully, respectfully, they present a petition, they go home. 

The bill, by the way, that they don't like, well, it's not becoming law. 

You don't have to look far this morning for examples of things going tits up in a big way, and quickly. 

We've basically farewelled freedom in Hong Kong, 45 activists sentenced to long-term prison sentences overnight, kids in the West Bank being killed.

You've got a tyrant in Putin lowering the bar for the use of nuclear weapons, plus you've got US made long range missiles firing on Russia.

But here, we have a functioning democracy. 

Now the hīkoi is over, Rawiri Waititi wants to go further. He wants a separate Māori parliament. He wants two systems.

He references on his website the Irish, Welsh, and Scottish systems. The latter of which controls its own justice, education, tax systems.

How would that work here? Who would fund such a parliament? 

Who would fall under the Māori parliament, given 75% of Māori didn't vote for Rawiri's lot at the last election? 

How would you build a nation within a nation, separated not by borders, but ethnicity? 

Serious question. 

You see, democracy works when we're all in it and we're all in it equally. 

It's true that not every group will get the same outcomes from that system, but that's no reason to throw the system away entirely. 

What it is, sure, is a call to better use that system to effect change through strong and pragmatic leadership, the likes of which Te Pāti Māori has been known for in the past. 

Whether you'll get that leadership from Debbie and Waititi... well, we'll have to wait and see. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Democracy is a delicate and fragile thing, and yesterday's protest
was a good example of it. Working people oppose something,
they protest peacefully, respectfully, they present a petition, they go home.
The bill by the way that they don't like, well,
it's not becoming law. You don't have to look far
this morning for examples of things going tits up in

(00:20):
a big way. And quickly we've basically farewell freedom in
Hong Kong, forty seven activist sentence to long term prisons, sentences, overnights,
kids in the West Bank being killed. You've got a
tyrant and putin lowering the bar for the use of
nuclear weapons. Plus you've got US made long range missiles
into Russia. But here we have a functioning democracy. Now

(00:42):
the hekoy is over at Hwitywayetti wants to go further.
He wants a separate Maldi parliament. He wants two systems,
he references on his website, the Irish, Welsh and Scottish systems,
the latter of which controls its own justice, education, tax systems.
How would that work here? Who would fund such a parliament?

(01:05):
Who would fall under the Maori parliament? Given seventy five
percent of Mary didn't vote for at Arbiti's lot at
the last election. How would you build a nation within
a nation separated not by borders but ethnicity. Sarah's question.
You see, democracy works when we're all in it, and
we're all in it equally. It's true that not every

(01:26):
group will get the same outcomes from that system, but
that's no reason to throw the system away entirely. What
it is sure is a call to better use that
system to affect change through strong and pragmatic leadership, the
likes of which taparty Marti has been known for in
the past. Whether you'll get that leadership from Debi and Waititetti, Well,

(01:50):
we have to wait and see. For more from early
edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live to News Talks it'd
be from five am weekdays, or follow the podcast to iHeartRadio.