ASSIMILATION BY AGREEMENT

The assimilation of New Zealand is just about complete.  

Trekkies will remember “The Borg”; that fictional race of aliens that moved throughout the Galaxy sucking dry every planet in their path.  

Every species they came across were transformed into cybernetic organisms to become drones in a hive mind called the Collective.  
Long after the series ended, The Borg continued as a cultural archetype when describing the futility of resisting a juggernaut – which brings us to the TPPA.

New Zealand's government is highly unlikely to vote against signing this agreement since it has been the one pushing it from the start. 

The TPPA was built on the framework of the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement, or P4 agreement between Brunei, Chile, Singapore and New Zealand completed in 2005.  That agreement was an expansion of the P3 (Pacific Three Closer Economic Partnership) begun by Helen Clark during the 2002 APEC meeting at Los Cabos.  And P3 was simply an expansion of the 2001 trade agreement between New Zealand and Singapore. 

The road to TPPA is just the latest in a series of political scrums, rucks and mauls in which New Zealand governments have played the role of number 8.  In this age of manufactured consent and delivered constituencies, the current government is very unlikely to change sides one meter from touch. 

Negotiated in secret, this agreement, more than six thousand pages long (and that’s without the supporting documents), has implications for all New Zealanders that will resonate far beyond what might be expected in a trade deal.  And we, the people, will not be given the opportunity to vote on it.  Instead we will be given “Bread and Circuses”.

Taken from the Latin: panem et circenses, ‘bread and circuses’ is a metaphor for superficially satisfying people with diversions, in order to distract them from the big issues of their day. 

In politics, the phrase is used to describe how governments generate public approval and acceptance, not through excellent services or policies, but through diverting us with ‘bread’ and distracting us with ‘circuses’. 

So in typical ‘Bread and Circuses’ fashion the Key government is diverting us with the illusion of choice by mailing out the first in a series of referenda about our flag.   

It beggars belief that we can be so easily distracted by the symbols of our culture, while its unique substance is traded for a global identity that threatens our very existence.

On November 5^th 2015 (Guy Fawkes Day) the full text of the TPPA was finally released simultaneously in the nations of all the signatories.  It reminded me of Star Trek and the collective audio message that the fictional Borgs always sent simultaneously to every nation on each planet just before their conquest and assimilation: 

“We are the Borg.  Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own.  Resistance is futile.”  

NGATI KAHU LEADERS

Last Saturday, at the Hui-a-Tau (AGM) of Te Rūnanga-ā-Iwi ō Ngāti Kahu, Professor Margaret Mutu (Te Whānau Moana Te Rorohuri) was returned as Chair, and Tania Thomas (Ngāti Taranga) was returned as Secretary, while Rose Vazey-Roberts (Patu Kōraha) was elected to fill the office of Treasurer.  All three were elected unopposed.

With regard to the portfolios, the following people were elected unopposed. 

The Taumata Kaumātua Portfolio continues to be led by Ven Timoti Flavell (Te Whānau Moana Te Rorohuri).  Timoti also chairs Te Taumata Kaumātua o Ngāti Kahu which sits alongside the Rūnanga.  Their tikanga guidance locally, regionally, nationally and internationally in behalf and support of Ngāti Kahu is invaluable.

Reremoana Rēnata (Matarahurahu / Ngāti Ruaiti) continues to convene the Education portfolio.  Reremoana continues a lifetime commitment to the education of our people in this role, as well as in her role as Kaiako of the Taipā Kohanga Reo.

Zarrah Pineaha and Renee Murray (Tahaawai) were appointed to the Health Portfolio.  It was proposed that this Portfolio be combined with that of Whānau Ora.  They will work closely with the Social Services Portfolio Convenor, whose appointment was deferred to the Rūnanga’s December hui-a-marama to allow time for feedback from Te Iwi o Ngāti Kahu Trust in Auckland.

Arthur Tukariri (Matarahurahu) was appointed to convene the Environmental Resource Management Portfolio.  As the mandated iwi organisation, we UNDERSTAND and KNOW government legislation, but ADVOCATE and UPHOLD Ngāti Kahu tikanga. 

The Rangatahi Portfolio is led by Wīkatana and John Popata Jnr (Ngāi Tohianga). To ensure the ongoing ability to express our rangatiratanga and mana, Ngāti Kahu take our rangatahi with us everywhere we go and involve them in everything we do. 

And finally, the Communications Portfolio is led by Lisa McNabb (Te Paatu ki Pāmapuria).  Lisa is also Ngāti Kahu’s representative to Te Reo Irirangi o Te Hiku o Te Ika Trust.

Te Rūnanga-a-Iwi o Ngāti Kahu is an expression of the mana of Ngāti Kahu hapū.  Collectively their appointed delegates are the mandated iwi authority of Ngati Kahu.  Their job is to strategise for the wellbeing of the descendants of Kahutianui and Te Parata, while at the same time maintaining the mana motuhake (the paramount authority) of Ngāti Kahu that has come down to this generation, and will be passed on to successive ones. 

Nineteen years after the ratification of the first Rūnanga Trust Deed, like their predecessors, this generation of leaders continues to do the job and, on Saturday, the mandate for Te Runanga-a-Iwi o Ngati Kahu as the iwi authority of Ngati Kahu was reconfirmed unanimously. 

The current Executive Officers and Portfolio Convenors bring a wide range of ages, skills, life experiences and governance expertise to the table.  I feel humble and grateful for the opportunity to work alongside of these leaders and to oversee the operationalisation of their strategies.

No reira, tātou mā, ngā tāngata whai pānga ki ngā marae maha o Ngāti Kahu.  Mā te waahi ngaro tātou katoa e arataki ki te oranga tinana, ki te oranga wairua i roto i te ao hōu.

HARD WORK AND THRIFT

China's accumulation of foreign currency is a hotly debated topic amongst economists who blame the ongoing economic instability in the world on this accumulation of foreign currency in China’s hands.  

Given the arrival of increasing numbers of Chinese people and enterprises in our rohe, this is an issue I have taken pains to consider and understand how it impacts on us.  What I have found is that it all pivots on two practices that New Zealanders embraced religiously in the past, but today, not so much; i.e. hard work combined with thrift.

This is not a popular message, but it is true nevertheless.  For decades New Zealanders have been living way beyond our means at a terrible cost to our future, and to do so we’ve been borrowing.  

In 2011, our borrowing hit $380 million per week, the highest rate ever recorded.  By June this year that was down to $200 million per week.  But that just includes government debt. Add in household and corporate debt and your eyes will begin to water.

Most of that borrowed money comes from the United States private banker, the Federal Reserve.  So, allowing for inflation, the $billion question is, where does the Federal Reserve get the money from originally? 

There are a range of mechanisms that explain how the Federal Reserve creates money.  But when you tease those mechanisms apart to see where the money we borrow comes from originally, whereas in the past you would have found a mix of sources, today you will find China.

Not less than a decade ago, China was an economic mess.  Now it’s the fastest growing economy in the world, and the United States third largest trading partner, behind Canada and Mexico.  

This turnaround was achieved on the back of two very Chinese practices; hard work and thrift.  It was also boosted by the west’s addiction to spending more than we earn. 

As a result China built a savings record and balance of payments which Winston Peters could only dream about, and it became the biggest lender to the United States.  

However, because the Federal Reserve continued printing money like it was going out of fashion, the value of the US greenback got more and more flakey. So in order to turn the rapidly devaluing American currency it held into things that would hold their value, the Chinese began buying solid assets wherever they could, including in our rohe. 

The current United States Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner, recently accused China of "currency manipulation."  Read Barry Ritzholt’s Bailout Nation and you’ll see what a hypocrite Mr Geithner is.  

From the 1980s onwards, western bankers like John Key and Timothy Geithner, shamelessly manipulated currencies around the world.

At the same time we happily spent trillions of dollars on cheap Chinese goods and services. 

This created employment in China, and the Chinese worked hard and saved.  Then they lent their savings to us so we could buy more goods and services.

As Charles Dickens may have put it, China ate a small cup of gruel in a cold dark room to save money. 

So, now that China is spending some of its foreign currency internationally, including in our rohe, will Chinese people continue to embrace hard work and thrift?  

More critically, for the sake of our future, will we again embrace those values ourselves?