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"It is not ok, not one tiny bit"

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"It is not ok, not one tiny bit"
Impossible to find a moment I am not mid-rant in the teeny five minutes allocated.

I was asked to make an oral submission to the Justice Select Committee on the Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill and I initially decided not to. Who was I to take up that space? But then I realised if I didn't, that time slot could be taken up by someone who supports this harmful piece of legislation, misrepresenting the 100s of 1000s of those who oppose it. So I accepted the invitation, reread my written submission and practiced what I could fit into the five minutes time I was allocated.
I'm not known for being succinct and I only got halfway through my list of suggested actions, so I've added them here for anyone who'd like to share them. There are so many BRILLIANT submissions from actual experts, so definitely listen to them, whenever you're not glued to Te Matatini coverage!

Ko wai au?
Nō Airana, Kōtirana, Tiamana, Peina, Ingarangi ōku tūpuna, nō reira he tangata Tiriti ahau. Nōku te whiwhi.
E noho ana ahau te whenua o Ngā Rauru Kītahi.
Ko Kay Benseman tōku ingoa. 

My ancestors came from Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Spain and England. I am Pākehā, grateful to belong in Aotearoa by the rights and responsibilities of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
I live on the customary lands of Ngā Rauru Kītahi.
My name is Kay Benseman. 

I am here speaking to you today as a Pākehā educator, bilingual Māmā and Aunty to irāmutu o Pirirākau to voice my opposition to the Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill.

Like many other Pākehā, my people left behind poverty, escaped classism and oppressive colonialism only to then participate in and benefit from the colonisation of iwi Māori here in Aotearoa. Our uncomfortable histories must be faced for us to learn from the mistakes of our ancestors in order to stop repeating them and heal. Matua Moana Jackson said this restoration begins with “un-telling of colonisation’s past and present lies.” I am endlessly grateful to the rangatira who enabled my people to call Aotearoa home and build a life here by signing Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

We need to honour it, not edit it.

Both this Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill and the Regulatory Standards Bill are a nostalgic overreach by the coalition government. 

The only silver lining on these divisive thunderclouds is the incredible knowledge shared by so many brilliant Māori minds in these hearings. Anyone who has ever said, “I don't understand Te Tiriti o Waitangi” can now learn from these recordings. How privileged you all are to have listened to such generous submissions from impassioned and insightful experts.

Some politicians have argued that Te Tiriti and its principles are ‘overly complex’ and ‘difficult to understand’. As an educator and a Māmā, I have never had any trouble connecting with tamariki about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and what it means to be principled;

  • how to honour an agreement
  • share space
  • take turns
  • to be a good friend
  • respect difference
  • to play well with others
  • to not lie or cheat or steal
  • and how to keep our promises.

These ideas are well understood by tamariki and they are also core to how Te Tiriti enables tāngata whenua and tangata Tiriti to live together. It’s important to consider why some folk continue to claim that it is all too complicated. We don’t lack the ability to understand our rights and responsibilities outlined in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, but we do seem to lack the desire to enact them. This avoidance sounds a lot like the kid who wants to change the rules to their game halfway through cos they know they’re losing.

My 7 year old daughter wrote on her own submission against this Bill, and I quote; 

“I disagree with the Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill because it doesn’t match Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Te Tiriti is important because Pākehā were taking the land and if it hadn’t been signed we Pākehā wouldn’t be able to live here. And I do not want to live somewhere else.”

When my 9 year old son heard I was speaking to you today, he asked me to share his thoughts with you, too; 

“Stop this Bill right now. 
It is not ok - not one tiny bit. 
You can’t control us.
You can’t let money and racism control us.
We won’t give up.
We will never stop trying.”

This government must not underestimate how many Tangata Tiriti, tauiwi, Tagata o le Moana, and Pākehā like myself love Aotearoa, Te Tiriti and our Māori friends and whānau. Our gratitude for being able to belong here is so immense, so fierce and so enduring that our solidarity with te iwi Māori will likewise be relentless and unwavering.

For those tāngata Tiriti who do want to contribute to Aotearoa honouring the promises envisaged by those who agreed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, there’s loads we can all do with our time when we’re not writing submissions opposing nonsense Bills. 

Here’s some suggestions to close;

Toitū te Tiriti - mō āke ake ake!