George VI
Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2009
- Messages
- 146
- Reaction score
- 22
- Location
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Very Conservative
Do you believe certain ethnic groups (i.e, Natives) deserve to have reserved seats in government, where they are guaranteed that seat for their ethnic group, whereas other ethnic groups have to be elected?
In Parliament, New Zealand has 7 Maori seats, reserved for Maori voters, and candidates of Maori descent, really. Currently, 6 of the 7 Maori seats are occupied by the Maori Party, and 1 occupied by the Labour Party.
The Government is thinking of creating a supercity that encompasses the whole Auckland region, and it's also thinking of removing the 3 reserved Maori Council seats originally planned, the Maori aren't happy with this, as seen in this article.
Their arguments are that they are "Tangata Whenua", or people of the land, as Natives they deserve the seats, and whatnot. Apparently, it's also a right assured by the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's supreme founding document.
My personal opinion is that no group, whether ethnic natives or otherwise deserve reserved seats in Government on all levels, it's just not fair. As far as the Maori Seats goes, I'm with the National Government, who are thinking of abolishing the seats, I don't think it's democratic that a minority deserves reserved seats, and the rest of the people have to be elected in normal seats.
On the top of my head, I can only think of New Zealand and India that have special ethnic seats, for Maori and Anglo-Indians, respectively.
In Parliament, New Zealand has 7 Maori seats, reserved for Maori voters, and candidates of Maori descent, really. Currently, 6 of the 7 Maori seats are occupied by the Maori Party, and 1 occupied by the Labour Party.
The Government is thinking of creating a supercity that encompasses the whole Auckland region, and it's also thinking of removing the 3 reserved Maori Council seats originally planned, the Maori aren't happy with this, as seen in this article.
Their arguments are that they are "Tangata Whenua", or people of the land, as Natives they deserve the seats, and whatnot. Apparently, it's also a right assured by the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's supreme founding document.
My personal opinion is that no group, whether ethnic natives or otherwise deserve reserved seats in Government on all levels, it's just not fair. As far as the Maori Seats goes, I'm with the National Government, who are thinking of abolishing the seats, I don't think it's democratic that a minority deserves reserved seats, and the rest of the people have to be elected in normal seats.
On the top of my head, I can only think of New Zealand and India that have special ethnic seats, for Maori and Anglo-Indians, respectively.