OPINION: Why Waitangi 2021 became so politically important for Maori

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Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury: And it's Willie Jackson for the win!

This Waitangi Day looked like it would be another wasted transformational opportunity beyond the gesture of next years Matariki Public Holiday but the decision last week by the Government to end the anti-Māori petitions at local Council has been matched with the extraordinary review by Willie Jackson of law changes that lift barriers to Māori building on their own land.

The bureaucratic nightmare that has stifled Māori ability to build on their own land has been finally challenged by Labour and creates an opportunity for a level of self-development that is further proof of how much good a Government with will can truly build.

The amendments to the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act makes building cheaper, faster and far less cumbersome. They represent changes that were long overdue and actively held up development.

Land held by multiple owners has always been a difficult concept for Pakeha laws of private ownership to get around and made the issues of succession and dispute resolution almost impossible to navigate.

The changes represent the biggest commitment a Government in modern political times has made to actually empowering Māori with the ability to self develop, the fact it took so long (Jackson has been arguing for these changes since 1999) is embarrassingly shameful.

The media may have focused on the Davidson vs Collins fight, but the real issue here is that Labour have quietly and humbly delivered more this Waitangi Day for Māori in real terms than most Governments manage in decades.

Martyn Bradbury

Editor – TheDailyBlog.nz

twitter.com/CitizenBomber

Radio Waatea and its board would like to advise that the opinions posted are those of Martyn 'Bomber Bradbury' and not the views of Radio Waatea, its Management or its Board.

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