June 08, 2021
Bad accounting behind colonisation blunder
National Party deputy leader Shane Reti says the party’s education spokesperson is out of step with his party on colonisation.
Paul Goldsmith said on Saturday while colonisation may have been "traumatic" for Māori, overall it has had a positive effect.
Dr Reti says the party’s position, as reiterated by leader Judith Collins in speeches to regional conferences over the past month, is that colonisation harmed many Māori and National supports the treaty settlement process as a way to redress those harms.
He says the party’s former finance spokesperson is still thinking like an accountant.
"Colonisation is deeper and more complex than can break down to a plus and minus, debit and credit sort of column. What Paul was doing was saying 'on the credit side, let us also take into account some of the things that may have benefited Māori.' I think maybe what the conversation missed was the overwhelming elements on the negative side which Judith has talked about as causing harm to Māori," Dr Reti says.
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