The High Court judge who sentenced Iti and his colleagues to a term of imprisonment summed up the situation perfectly. Justice Hansen described the “bushcraft” explanations provided by Iti for his paramilitary activities in the Ureweras as “utterly implausible”. He went on to note that,

“As I view the evidence, in effect a private militia was being established. Whatever the justification, that is a frightening prospect in our society, undermining of our democratic institutions and anathema to our way of life.” NZ Herald 14.02.13

Justice Hansen said he could not understand why Tame Iti was developing “military capability” at the same time as negotiating Tuhoe claims before the Waitangi Tribunal.  Hansen further noted that the media focus on police actions,

“…should not divert attention from the unlawful activities which necessitated the investigation in the first place.”

The Police Commissioner and now the Minister of Police, have both apologised for police actions which overstepped the mark in the Urewera raids. Will the media now turn their attention to the one who caused all the angst and drama (and taxpayer cost) in the first place?

In spite of the provocative and stupid actions of Tame Iti and co. the Crown has had the good grace and sense to progress settlement negotiations with Tuhoe to a successful conclusion. Historic injustices have been addressed with financial compensation of $170million, vesting of Te Urewera National Park in a new entity overseen by Tuhoe, and a formal Crown apology for its past actions.

So the Crown has taken responsibility for its actions, made redress, and apologised.         Will Tame Iti ?

Ewen McQueen
May 2013

Waterfront Auckland design concept for the Wynyard Quarter

Auckland’s International Convention Centre should be on the waterfront. The Wynyard Quarter provides the obvious location for a piece of stunning architecture that will embed international visitors into the city and its harbour in the best possible way. With the viaduct basin nearby, ferry links to Devonport and the gulf islands beyond, this is the place which will showcase our city, help our waterfront flourish, and make us proud New Zealanders.

Unfortunately that is not what we are getting. Instead our visitors will be locked away alongside the grubby floors of the casino, in a building traffic-locked by wind-tunnel four lane streets with an outlook onto a concrete jungle. Why ? Because we can get it for “free”.

If the business case for the Convention Centre is as good as we are told in terms of ongoing jobs and economic contribution, then why can’t we make a straightforward honest investment to attain these benefits. Why stitch up some cheap deal that will only serve to devalue the opportunity we have to impress our visitors and grow a sense of place and pride in our city.

A few years ago we missed out on the opportunity for a waterfront stadium due to the parochialism and lack of vision among our local body leaders. Now we will miss out on the opportunity to have a world class convention centre on our sparkling waterfront, due to the lack of vision of our central govt leaders. Surely we can do better.

And of course there is no free lunch. The Sky City shareholders want their return. With the extra 230 pokie machines allowed as part of the deal they will get it. The Old Testament prophets used to speak about “grinding the face of the poor”. But that is another story….

Ewen McQueen
May 2013

Yes Aaron Gilmore was a list MP. And there have been those who have made much of this fact. They suggest MMP is at fault for delivering him to Parliament and for the fact that until he resigned there was no way he could be removed.

However even if he was an electorate MP he could not have been removed from Parliament without his own resignation. Indeed he would have had an even stronger mandate to stay put and thumb his nose at his party.

Perhaps an electorate candidate selection process would have found him out earlier. However perhaps not. If those doing the selecting are more impressed by confident assertions of achievement (real or otherwise) than by character demonstrated through life and attested to by others, then we will continue to have Aaron Gilmores in Parliament.

To Mr Gilmore’s credit he has now resigned and expressed a desire to live his life with more grace and humility. If his life from here demonstrates this then it will confirm he has certainly learned a very hard lesson – a character lesson.

Ewen McQueen
May 2013

The study, “Does abortion reduce the mental health risks of unwanted or unintended pregnancy? A re-appraisal of the evidence”, was undertaken by the highly regarded Prof David Fergusson and fellow psychiatrists at the University of Otago. They found no evidence that abortion reduces risk of mental health problems in the case of unwanted or unintended pregnancies. In fact it may actually increase risk. The authors of the study conclude:

“…the growing evidence suggesting that abortion does not have therapeutic benefits cannot be ignored indefinitely, and it is unacceptable for clinicians to authorize large numbers of abortions on grounds for which there is, currently, no scientific evidence.”  (ANZJP Vol.47 No.4 April 2013)

It is encouraging to see medical professionals with the honesty to challenge their colleagues on this issue. One is reminded of High Court judge Justice Miller who in 2008 had the honesty to express “powerful misgivings” about the way the mental health clause was being applied in New Zealand abortion law (Right to Life New Zealand Inc v The Abortion Supervisory Committee, High Court, Wellington 9 June 2008). In his judgment he concluded,

“There is reason to doubt the lawfulness of many abortions authorised by certifying consultants. ”  (RTL v ASC, 5.c)

So now we have the bizarre situation in New Zealand where the mental health ground for abortion has been declared a clinical fiction by the medical establishment, and a legal fiction by the legal establishment. In spite of this our political establishment remain steadfastly committed to avoiding the issue.

For the thousands of unborn children terminated every year in our country, the reality of abortion is definitely not fiction. Neither is it an issue they can avoid, for they have none of the “choice” trumpeted by the advocates of abortion.

Ewen McQueen
April 2013

The debate on the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill cuts to the heart of this foundational question. In making their voting decision our MPs must wrestle with what is true about human sexuality. Where should they source their truth from? Many will simply go with what seems right to them, based on their perception of the popular will – a fluid notion at best. Surely we can do better…

I am reminded of a true story told of a stormy night on the Hauraki Gulf some years ago. Wyn had been visiting Great Barrier Island with a friend, but on hearing a forecast of bad weather they weighed anchor early and set sail back to Auckland. It was evening and the boat owner told Wyn to take the first watch and he would get some sleep then take over in a few hours. His parting advice was to steer a course for Tiri lighthouse.

Wyn followed his friend’s advice and aimed for the light blinking across the now increasingly stormy gulf. However the night was cold, the wind was strong and spray kept coming over him. So he huddled down into the boat’s cockpit and every now and again popped his head up for a look to ensure he was on course.

Three hours later his friend appeared and immediately upbraided him;
“What are you doing ?
“I am steering the boat at Tiri lighthouse like you said!”
“But Tiri is over there!” he replied pointing in a completely different direction.

At this point Wyn raised his head and peered once more into the darkness ahead – and it dawned on him that he had actually been following the light attached to the bow of the boat.

Decisions on matters as important as the institution of marriage require more than mere feelings of what seems right to us. Following the light on the bow of our own boat will lead us into dangerous waters. We need an external reference point against which to chart our course. For thousands of years Judeao-Christian values and principles have provided that reference point.

When asked about marriage, Jesus Christ himself simply directed his questioners back to what had already been written many centuries before:

He answered, ” Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one.’ ? “

Ewen McQueen
March 2013

The Select Committee has reported back and recommended among other things that the terms “bride” and “bridegroom” be removed from marriage certificates, and that the terms “husband” and “wife” be removed from 16 other pieces of legislation. This is not mere redefinition, it is complete deconstruction of the very meaning of what marriage is.

If you value marriage, it is time to act with urgency. MPs need to hear from you.  Their contact details can be found at www.parliament.govt.nz

For reasons why the Bill is based on false premises – see my submission.

Ewen McQueen                                                                                                                          March 2013

His honesty was refreshing. It was also challenging to a society where to admit existential fear is dismissed as weakness and death is often  trivialised by cliches  such as “its just a natural part of life”.

Death is not part of life any more than black is part of white. It is a cruel violation of the Spirit of Life which has been breathed into every one of us. Our hearts cry out for more, and as CS Lewis said – every human desire has its fulfillment. For thirst there is water. For hunger there is food. For our yearning heart and soul there is life eternal.

Sir Paul humbly admitted he would be spending his final days in prayerful contemplation and seeking peace with God. He wondered whether the balance on his ledger would see him right.

I’m sure he found his peace. For there is One who never turns away a humble seeker. He is not beyond the hill far away. He is near. And in the cross of Christ He has thrown the ledger away.

Ewen McQueen
February 2013

For more, see the New Zealand Herald this week Ewen McQueen: “There can only be one sun in the sky” and that’s the Crown 

Ewen McQueen
January 2013

Hon Christopher Finlayson

The last election saw National offering a “brighter future”. The Hon Chris Finlayson, Minister of Treaty Negotiations, is certainly playing his part. Since he came to the job four years ago the Treaty settlement process has made major advances.

Last year alone the Minister oversaw the enactment of 11 pieces of settlement legislation, the signing of 8 deeds of settlement, worked out an agreement in principle for the Whanganui River settlement and completed negotiations with Tuhoe including the agreement of a social services plan. The legislation finalised deals for some major iwi including Ngati Whatua and Ngati Porou. The deeds were major steps along the way for other significant iwi including those impacted by the land conflict in Taranaki

This represents substantial progress on the settlement journey. It involves redress, apologies and resolution of long-standing grievances in areas all over New Zealand. Hundreds of millions of dollars will also now start the process of economic transformation for these iwi – just as it has already done for Ngai Tahu and Tainui who settled in the early 1990s. There will be improved financial security, greater educational opportunities, jobs and business prospects. There will indeed be new hope for a brighter future.

Minister Finlayson deserves huge credit for the energy, integrity and honour that he has brought to the settlement process. It is a task of prime importance in our nation.

In 1860 as conflict in Taranaki was brewing, New Zealand’s first Chief Justice Sir William Martin wrote of the need for Maori land rights to be protected and the Treaty to be honoured. He stated “To this undertaking the faith of the nation is pledged… It is the clear duty of every officer of the Crown, and of every loyal citizen, to do his utmost, by deed and word, to fulfil this national undertaking.”

One hundred and fifty years later, the Hon Chris Finlayson is fulfilling his duty with distinction.

Ewen McQueen
January 2013

The Government’s White Paper for Vulnerable Children was published late last year and once again studiously avoided addressing the key driver of child abuse and neglect in New Zealand – the casualisation of our relationship culture.

As I noted in my submission on the earlier Green Paper – of 23 child deaths over the previous five years, 21 involved children in households where the adults were not in a stable married relationship. In most of those cases the person convicted, charged or a suspect was not even the biological parent of the child.

In June last year another two year old died at the hands of mum’s latest boyfriend. I wrote at the time – “…the Government is now preparing a White Paper with specific policy proposals on protecting vulnerable children. Rebuilding a culture which affirms marriage and commitment is an obvious and urgent policy target. Will they take aim?”

Sadly they have not. The White Paper initiatives take the usual approach of focusing on social agency response to abuse rather than dealing with the underlying drivers. So there is more talk of cross agency care strategies, integration of existing programmes and multi-disciplinary child teams “delivering joined-up intervention plans”. And of course another social policy research unit as part of the Families Commission.

We don’t need more research. The evidence is staring us in the face. And whilst it is important that we have the best public services we can to deal with the reality of child abuse today – it is even more important that we address the underlying drivers of child abuse so that tomorrow’s reality will be different.

I have heard the Hon Paula Bennett speak on this issue a number of times. There is no doubt that the Minister is absolutely sincere in her desire to protect the children of New Zealand. The huge amount of work that Bennett has invested in the Green and White Paper process is testament to that.

However to be effective, more is required than sincere effort. Honesty and courage are needed. Honesty to face the truth on what is driving child abuse in New Zealand. And courage to push back against the casualised relationship culture which now pervades our country.

Ewen McQueen
January 2013