Waiariki electorate MP Te Ururoa Flavell says the Bay of Plenty Regional Council decision to allow flying of the Maori flag more often is honourable.
'I think it shows great leadership that this regional council has decided to fly the flag both on Waitangi Day, as well as to mark other special days for Maori, and our nation,” says Te Ururoa.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council buildings will fly the Maori flag more often.
He hopes the move will encourage other councils in his electorate to follow suit.
'Flying the Maori flag is an important way of acknowledging the special relationship that tangata whenua have in this country by virtue of the partnership promised in the Treaty of Waitangi.
'In essence it is about letting the world know that we are proud of the treaty as the most important constitutional foundation of our land.
'For some time now, Maori have called for the use of the national Maori flag as a way of celebrating the unique partnership fostered through the treaty.
'It is great to see local government listening to that call and responding positively in such a simple yet symbolic way.
'I look forward to other councils following the lead of the Bay of Plenty in flying the Maori flag.”
31 comments
PROCESS WHAT ?
Posted on 28-04-2011 16:56 | By MISS ADVENTURE
Give money, give more money then fold the tent and run away with some hair brain idea. If there has to be a flag then I like the idea on the other page about this below, Murray's flag is a great idea and that would about sum it all up, a white flag of Surrender!
Maori Flag
Posted on 28-04-2011 17:38 | By Glen Clova
Sorry but i think it is a bad decision.
Jaw flapping in the breeze bros.
Posted on 28-04-2011 17:56 | By Hebegeebies
Get out of Parliament and the sooner the better.This flag proposal is racist and separatist & this country needs it like a hole in the head.
Don't Agree
Posted on 28-04-2011 18:41 | By wreck1080
Te Ururoa Flavell would also like a separate maori state. So, Tauranga now agrees we are in 'partnership' with maori rather than all being New Zealanders. Where to next?
a insult to all
Posted on 28-04-2011 20:20 | By Darth Vader
the council have insulted all New Zealanders by flying the Tino rangatiratanga, the flag is nothing short of a racist and separative symbol it is based solely on race and that is not what the people of this country need, want or should be forced to endure, the council need to be reminded that New Zealand has only "ONE" internationally recognized flag and that is flying outside the United Nations and on public buildings and outside RSA's and flown on all military bases and war ships of New Zealand shame on you regional council
How much does it cost ?
Posted on 28-04-2011 22:14 | By Tauiwi
Britain has England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Army, Air Force, Navy and a million other flags. Each has their significance to someone. But its only a bit of material. No one is suggesting one flag replaces another. They compliment each other. The objectors obviously are afraid to acknowledge the right of the host people to be here at all. Do to others as you would be done to.
Darth ~ ewe are so race ~ ist ..
Posted on 28-04-2011 22:20 | By Lostzone
And I love it. Well said mate .. ! I, like many many other NZers do not give a **** what flag we have ... !! Just let it be one ... for all NZers. By the way ~ Well done Dr Don Brash ... "bow" "bow" .. hang in there Mr Biig B***** . N Barker
This is...
Posted on 28-04-2011 22:44 | By SpeakUp
racist...separatist...self-absorbed...small-minded
Fostering recognition
Posted on 28-04-2011 22:47 | By Ngaere
I believe this time Mr Flavell is correct. In recognising the tangata whenua of the land is a giant step forward to building a tolerant and unique society that we should all be proud of.
Pathetic ~ Bring back Winnie
Posted on 29-04-2011 05:55 | By Lostzone
or Bob or Dr Brash or Banksie .. Geeez it must be something in the water. Simon is offering forgiveness if you pay some bucks to the cops. Some polly from Waiariki likes the 'national Maori flag'. Did I miss the news that Maori have decided that its 'their national flag'?? Next the tax/rate payers will be having to pay for repairs on a track around a privately owned beach hill! Am I sounding like many others ~ sick of this bull****? Hope so cos I am!!
Unbelievable T C
Posted on 29-04-2011 07:44 | By splitpin
What an insult.
Insult
Posted on 29-04-2011 08:04 | By Capt_Kaveman
to us all for you to fly this flag which it signals a rebellion against the county of its rules & laws
What a joke
Posted on 29-04-2011 12:57 | By justice
That really shows that we are all one doesn't it?!!!!!
lawyers
Posted on 29-04-2011 13:50 | By Gringo
Until all treaty claims are made and the entire treaty issue is resolved the lawyers (maori and pakeha) will continue to promote this sort of separatism. NZ will never be one nation while the lawyers can make a dollar from it. No ones forcing them to be white after all, they have as much freedom to do with their lives what they will as the next kiwi.
LoCool
Posted on 29-04-2011 14:21 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
The real worry is not about the flag at all.The more flags the merrier, it wil be interesting to see what hake(flag) Hone will be flying after this weekend. The real worry is if Maori lose their seats in Parliament by having thier votes split,and they retreat back to the dark old days of protest then we will all be left wondering how we let this flag and the Maori Party fall. Tihei mauriora
United we fly
Posted on 29-04-2011 14:32 | By Colleen Spiro
All the NEGATIVE comments on here are the ONLY racist people here.... What a great site to see the two flags flying high together. Why are people so worried about a piece of cloth flying beside our beloved NZ flag... Its not replacing it, its flying along side it....
Over the top
Posted on 29-04-2011 14:34 | By Steves
The council is A.. Licking again
@Tauiwi, Nagere, and wreck1080
Posted on 29-04-2011 14:43 | By morepork
Te Ururoa Flavell is an intelligent and generally reasonable man. But even such men as that can be misguided. I don't know whether he advocates a separate Maori state, but I hope that isn't so. (Personally, I value and respect Maoritanga and I don't want to be cut off from it.) If Maori are to have a flag they must first adopt it formally. I see no problem with that, many sectors of our community have National flags (although none of them who have claimed NZ citizenship would see those symbols as being "above" our National one.) I have dual citizenship (I was born here), but my loyalty is to NZ as long as I claim the benefits of citizenship and residency here. (Actually, my heart is here too, but that is another matter...) We are an emerging nation and we have a chance to show a world torn by violence and darkness, with governments killing their own people, that it doesn't have to be like that. We CAN "all get along" but the only possible basis for that has to be a level playing field with no special treatment for ANYONE. If there is social injustice and some people are not getting a "fair go" that has to be addressed in the light of what is fair to ALL. Words like "partnership" are actually divisive, unless it is a "partnership"of ALL ethnicities. The only hope for New Zealand (Aotearoa) is if we embrace and celebrate the diversity of different ethnicity in our society, respect each other's beliefs (even when they are different) and respect the rights of people to BE different, so long as they are within the law that applies to EVERYBODY. You cannot have a society based on ethnicity, (and that includes pakeha), any more than you can have one based on religion. The secular state has to be seen to be fair to ALL. There is really no reason why a Maori symbol (flag) should not be officially flown and recognized on certain days, just as we could fly the English flag on St. George's Day, the Scottish flag on St. Andrew's day, and various National flags on National days if the ethnic groups requested that. It would be a mark of respect, not of subservience. But there can only be ONE nation, with ALL of us equal stakeholders in it.
LoCool
Posted on 29-04-2011 15:00 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
Kia ora Morepork you write with wisdom of the much reverred Ruru. More Pork please....
Selective
Posted on 29-04-2011 18:34 | By justbe
I want to know why are we only flyihg the flag showing partnership "more ofter" why is is not always there to show true partnership always and not selective?????
@Locool
Posted on 30-04-2011 00:55 | By morepork
Thank you for your very kind comment. I didn't know "ruru" meant "morepork" (perhaps I should have that the other way round as the little owl was a "ruru" long before it was a "morepork"...)but I looked it up and am honoured...:-)
APPRECIATE MORE PORK TO
Posted on 30-04-2011 13:18 | By Vomit
Can only agree that a flag adopted by 'ALL' is the only option, like the national anthem sung with pride by all, accepted by all, that actually is what democracy is about, or at least it used to be.
Morepork
Posted on 30-04-2011 23:53 | By Ngaere
....Before continuing to make misinformed comment, you should read the Treaty of Waitangi.
WE ARE ONE PEOPLE DESPITE WHAT some TRACE ELEMENT MAORI CLAIM
Posted on 01-05-2011 14:21 | By Hebegeebies
Pray tell us all Ngaere what version would that be?- the politically correct version or the real one as contained in Hobson's draft (Littlewood version)which equates pretty much word for word with the Maori version.Morepork I thought you took a very balanced view way beyond what some deserve.
@ngaere - with regard to the Treaty...
Posted on 01-05-2011 18:30 | By morepork
"Posted on 30-04-2011 23:53 | By Ngaere ....Before continuing to make misinformed comment, you should read the Treaty of Waitangi." Believe me, I HAVE read it. I'm not sure what specifically in my post you are objecting to, but if you care to clarify what you take issue with, I'll be happy to address it. Remember that this Treaty draws its power from British Law. If we become a Republic with our own Constitution (as an increasing number of people are advocating) it would be up to us to write something that is fair to ALL. (The current Treaty could be a basis, but it wouldn't HAVE to be...) YOU raised the point about the Treaty (although I'm not sure exactly WHICH point you are referring to). Here's what I think about it: I see this Treaty as an anchor around our necks that holds us buried in the past. Look at the time, money, and energy, that has already been wasted on it. We ALL need to move on if there is to be a future. But the fact is that we legally CAN'T as long as we are tied to this Treaty. I don't advocate that we should renege on the agreements made and I'm not suggesting we should deprive Maori of what is their heritage. BUT, we ALL need to get past this 171 year old document that was thrown together hastily by someone not really qualified to do so (he did a pretty good job, all things considered), and realise that the world, including our nation and including the Tangata Whenua, has moved on. I hope you are not seriously suggesting that Maori today are the same as Maori 171 years ago? Or that pakeha (or anybody else today) is the same as they were 171 years ago? We need to grow up and accept responsibility jointly for this land and Nation. Using an outdated document as an excuse for keeping snouts in the trough and refusing to get with the program, because there is an "easy option", is not the Kiwi way, for Maori or anybody else. Maori today are progressive. Great strides are being made in Education, (239 Maori PhDs now...) Maori businesses and entrepeneurship are making a huge contribution to our country. Maori have a right to be proud New Zealanders (as well as being Maori); they don't need to sit on their arses and take handouts. I would honour this Treaty not because of any moral duty I feel to do so (I wasn't born when it was written so how can I be responsible for it?), but because I believe in the rule of Law and justice for ALL. However, an agreement is only an agreement as long as people agree to it. After that it needs to be reviewed and changed (by agreement). The country cannot afford to go on entertaining Treaty claims indefinitely. Draw a line; get over it. Make this agreement something we can ALL agree to, or scrap it and start over. If your argument is based entirely on the Treaty of Waitangi, I'm sorry, but in today's world, you have no argument. This document is fast approaching its "sell by" date and the sooner we admit that and address it, the better for all of us.
Morepork
Posted on 03-05-2011 22:47 | By Ngaere
You obviously need to get out more.
NZ FLAG
Posted on 04-05-2011 02:11 | By MISS ADVENTURE
There can only be one!
@ngaere
Posted on 05-05-2011 13:39 | By morepork
A lame response. I still have no idea what you are objecting to. My comments on the Treaty are a personal opinion and definitely not what the Country thinks. I'm in favour of a Maori flag and of flying it (as long as we do the same for other ethnicities). So what exactly is your problem?
Morepork
Posted on 05-05-2011 22:02 | By Ngaere
I respect that you are entitled to your opinion as I am mine. My reasons for supporting the council in flying Tino Rangatiratanga are the New Zealand flag in its current state recalls New Zealands colonial ties to Britain. Tino Rangatiratanga recalls New Zealands ties to those indiginous people who lived in New Zealand prior to colonisation by the British. All the other people who you speak of, who have since settled in New Zealand fly their country of origin flags proudly in their own country, as they should. So why then should Maori be any different? You speak of moving on at the expense of forgetting the past? Running through the centre of Tino Rangatiratanga is the uncurling frond of the Koru which represents the unfolding of new life, hope for the future and the process of renewal. I believe we can all get along, I also believe that sweeping past Ills under the rug is not the way to do it. We must right the wrongs that have occurred and we should stand proudly to say we recognise those and can move on from them. For good or Ill the flag will be flying despite what you or I opinion.
@ngaere
Posted on 06-05-2011 13:57 | By morepork
OK, I begin to see your concern. I think we agree on more than we disagree about. Being tied to a Colonial past is something I don't like either so we can agree about that. Be careful with words like "indigenous"; it doesn't mean what you think it means. As for brushing aside the ills of the past, my position on that is as follows: 1. We accept that people alive today who were not born when these wrongs happened are not to be blamed for them. (It's a bit like blaming Japanese teenagers today for what happened in the prison camps, or blaming German teenagers today for the Holocaust.) None of us are responsible for the sins of our fathers, but we must accept those sins occurred, do what we can to repair the damage done, and avoid repeating them. 2. Responsibility and reparation are a fair part of the healing process, but it cannot be indefinite and it has to be seen to be fair to ALL. In other words, I don't advocate brushing aside the past but I don't want it to stall the present (for any of us), and I don't want Kiwi kids today to have their futures mortgaged for something that no-one alive today had any hand in. There has to be a line on it. I agree with you that the flag will fly whether you or I like it or not (and I think we are both happy about that; our difference is in the significance of it.) I'd like to see it as not being a divisive symbol, and I'd like to see ALL ethnicities afforded the same courtesy. Anyway, thank you for posting a more sensible and measured response, to which I have responded as I said I would. Like you, I believe we CAN all get along and part of that process has to be the ability to discuss our differences sensibly, and understand the issues on both sides. I understand you see Maori as "special" but I can't see that. (I DO see Maori as an invaluable intrinsic part of our emerging nation and I have great affection and admiration for Maoritanga, but that doesn't mean Maori should be "special" under the Law, or get any "special" deals (other than what is fair and just as reparation for past wrongs), any more than my own pakeha cuture should be treated as "special". If we fly a Maori flag alongside the national symbol, we should be prepared to do the same for any other ethnicity that would like to see it; no "special" groups. It HAS to be a level playing field for all of us to move forward. I want a future for NZ which INCLUDES ALL, not a system with second or third class citizens, and definitely not a separate "Maori nation". That may be where you and I diverge. Hopefully, given time and dialogue, these differences will be worked out and we can all take our place in a Nation that can be an example to the World.
LoCool
Posted on 10-05-2011 16:32 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
This exchange of emails is a snapshot of what we can achieve when we korero kanohe ki te kanohe (mouth to mouth and face to face or in this case computer to computer) I have found the arguments, agreements and concessions by MorePork ala Ruru very encouraging, informative and enlightening.
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