The Wellington Post has a poll and a story on co-governance and bilingual signs -
https://www.thepost.co.nz/a/politics...gns-poll-shows
Voters want a referendum on co-governance - but not bilingual signs, poll shows
Andrea Vance
September 15, 2023
'Almost half of voters believe there should be a referendum on Māori co-governance – and reject bilingual road signs, according to a new poll.
It comes as Labour signalled a delay to plans to add te reo Māori to traffic signage.
The Post/Freshwater Strategy poll shows 48% of respondents want the chance to vote, while 17% disagree. More than a third (34%) opted to stay neutral.
The question posed was: “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: there should be a referendum on Māori co-governance, to end the confusion and let every New Zealander have a say.”
ACT is the only party to propose a referendum. But despite being a hot political topic for the last year, race and ethnicity have not played a significant role in the election campaign, with the focus on the economy and cost of living.
But among voters, racial division is a concern. The poll also asked if there should be more co-governance with Māori in government decision-making – and 45% disagreed. Fewer – 28% – agreed, and 27% remained neutral.
There was a similar split among voters about whether road signage should be written in te reo Māori as well as English: 45% were not in favour, compared with 32% in favour.
Almost half (49%) think government departments should be known by their English, not Māori name. Only 26% disagreed with this statement.
Respondents were also asked if there should be quotas to ensure different ethnic groups are represented in Parliament and government. A total of 38% disagreed – with 31% in favour.
However, that flipped for gender. More (38%) said there should be quotas to ensure enough women were represented. A third (33%) disagreed.
Co-governance is a shared governance arrangement, with Treaty of Waitangi partners having equal seats around the table.
The Labour Government instituted co-governance in its reform of water services, and put an element into health reforms, creating a devolved Māori health authority.
Many treaty settlements, signed in the past two decades included co-governance provisions for places like the Whanganui River and Te Urewera.
But on taking office in January, Labour’s leader Chris Hipkins conceded there was uncertainty among New Zealanders about what it means.
”New Zealanders signed up to the Treaty more than 180 years ago,” Hipkins said on Thursday. “I don't think that having a referendum on whether you should back out of obligations that effectively allowed us all to be here is the right way to go.”
Campaigning on the West Coast with Hipkins, associate transport minister Damien O’Connor was asked why he had not yet approved bilingual signs. He said he has asked for more advice, because he was new in the role following the resignation of Kiri Allan in July.
“I'm looking at the effectiveness of the signage system across New Zealand,” he said. “We have a high road toll. Signage, in my view, contributes in part to the confusion on the roads that leads to accidents.”
Transport agency Waka Kotahi opened consultation earlier this year, but it inflamed racial tensions. O’Connor denied the delay was due to the election campaign.
National has argued against co-governance in the delivery of public services, and said it would dismantle the Māori health authority. Leader Christopher Luxon said said he didn’t think the country was ready for a referendum – but hasn’t explicitly ruled it out.
He doesn’t oppose bilingual road signs, and has said he doesn’t want the country’s transport agency to spend money on them.
NZ First wants to re-christen agencies that have adopted te reo Māori for their primary name, like Te Whatu Ora.
Te Pati Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has strongly criticised ACT for proposing the referendum.
”To do a referendum would mean none of the settlements are binding, or full and final and that land and assets stolen should be returned,” she said.
”Co-governance is happening – and has been happening successfully for years. Those debating it and promoting it have divisive political agendas which no doubt will go silent when their parties get into Government.
ACT leader David Seymour said he was pleased to see the poll result.
“New Zealanders don't like being divided by race, no one asked them if it was OK and they want it to stop,” he said. “Most people I meet want to cherish the Māori language and culture, but they also want to be able to navigate the Government they pay for in a language they understand.
“Forcing the Māori language on people causes them to resent it, which is a massive own goal. There is clear support for ACT's proposal to have a referendum on Treaty principles, and a say on co-government.
“Dividing people by race has never worked and it has no place in a modern multi-ethnic liberal democracy."'
Freshwater Strategy, interviewed 1511 eligible voters in New Zealand, aged 18 + online, between August 28-30. The margin of error is approximately +/ - 3%.