Andrew Dickens: My theory on why the PM is avoiding Waitangi

This week it was the perennial should he or shouldn’t he go debate about the Prime Minister. 

Personally, I’d always go to Waitangi if I were Prime Minister, even if it was just for one of the days of ceremonies. 

The Air Force is weak but they’re perfectly capable of getting him to both Waitangi and Akaroa if he wanted to. 

It’s said his non-attendance is a snub of Māori but there’s another way of looking at it. 

He could be staying away because he doesn’t want to ruffle Māori feathers. 

He has publicly said repeatedly that the Treaty Principles Bill is going nowhere so why go somewhere where he’ll get the heat for something he’s never intended to do? 

David Seymour can go and is.  It’s David’s baby and he’s more than happy to stand to it. He’ll take the heat, and he’ll give it back 

But our PM doesn’t want to go somewhere where he’ll be yelled at for something he won’t do. 

So maybe this isn’t a snub of Māori but it is one of his right wing supporters.

They are getting increasingly vocal that they’ve been sold a damp squib. That he’s no different to the other mob. A liberal. A globalist. A Māori apologist. And worst of all, a man without a plan. 

His weekly media round is becoming increasingly fractious with all sides demanding he actually do something more than cutting all spending. 

Questions about policy is being answered repeatedly with “we’re looking at that down the track”. Which is this year’s version of working groups and announcements of announcements. 

Hopefully Christopher Luxon has a pleasant time at Akaroa Harbour because that’s the way he likes it. 

A quiet deferential crowd who loves the PM just because he’s the PM. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So it is the week of White Tonguey, and this
week it's been the perennial should he or shouldn't he
go debate about the Prime Minister. Now, personally, I've always
said this, I'd always go to White Tonguey if I
were the PM, even if it was just for one
of the days of the ceremonies. I mean, the air
force is not the strongest, but the air force is
perfectly capable of getting him to both White Tonguy and
Akhoror if he really wanted to. And it's said that

(00:22):
his non attendance is a snub of Maldi, but I
think there's another way of looking at it. He could
be staying away because he doesn't want to ruffle Maori feathers.
He has publicly said repeatedly that the Treaty Principal's actor
is going nowhere, So why go somewhere where he'll get
the heat for something he's never intended to do. David
Seymour can go and he is. It's David's baby, and

(00:42):
he's more than happy to stand to it. He'll take
the heat and he'll give it back. But our Prime
Minister doesn't want to go somewhere where he'll be yelled
at for something he will not do. So maybe this
isn't a snub of Maori as such, but perhaps one
of his right wing supporters and don't suit the messenger.
I've been looking at right wing discussion groups and chet groups.
They are getting increasingly vocal that they've been sold a

(01:02):
damp squib, that the Prime Minister is no different to
the other mob, that he's a liberal, and he's a
globalist and a mari apologist and worst of all, a
man without a plan. His weekly media round is becoming
increasingly fractious, all sides demanding that he actually do something
more than cutting all the spending. Just take a listen
to the Mike Hosking podcast from yesterday and see if
he answers stuff. Questions about policy is being answered repeatedly

(01:26):
with we're looking at that down the track, which is
this year's version of working groups and announcements of announcements.
So anyway, hopefully Christopher Luxson has a pleasant time at
Akaroa Harbor because that's the way he likes it. He
likes a nice, quiet, deferential crowd who loves a prime
minister because he's just the prime Minister for more from
Early Edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live to News Talks

(01:47):
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