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Part of the day of upset, or protest, or whatever the M\u0101ori Party are calling it tomorrow, is about the way they feel they are being treated by this new Government.\xa0

So, although it's Budget Day, it's not really about the Budget.\xa0

It's about section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act and the right to vote if councils unilaterally invoke M\u0101ori seats and the move to replace or repeal references to the Treaty in legislation.\xa0

One important thing that is worth remembering is the image that has been created by the coverage of the M\u0101ori Party that they somehow speak for all M\u0101ori, when they don\u2019t.\xa0

They speak for a small section of M\u0101ori. How do we know this? The first is their vote, which is tiny. The second is that 66% of the leadership of the Government is M\u0101ori.\xa0

Winston Peters and David Seymour are M\u0101ori and want nothing to do with the M\u0101ori Party way of approaching how this country is run.\xa0

Shane Jones, who is also M\u0101ori, is doing the business with the Treaty references.\xa0

The references in law are a vague sprinkling of virtue signalling as pedalled by the last Government.\xa0

They are not prescriptive, or specifically helpful, in just what it is you need to be looking at or doing when it comes to M\u0101ori and any given bit of law.\xa0

That is partly down to the fact the Treaty itself is a very broad-based document open to a lot of interpretation.\xa0

But by sprinkling references to the Treaty all over the place like pick n mix, you can be seen to be doing the right thing, as long as the right thing doesn\u2019t come with too many questions. That was the Labour Government wasn\u2019t it? Lots of feels or vibes and not being too strong on the ol' detail.\xa0

By having a reference in everything it allows those who use taxpayer money to support themselves to activate a bit of legal advice, or legal action, if you perceive the Treaty isn't being appropriately nodded to.\xa0

To cover themselves, those who have to adhere to these sort of practices then go about falling over themselves trying to second guess what an appropriate nod might look like in the hope they don't upset anyone.\xa0

No one is better off, apart from those who make a living off the gravy train. Everyone is confused, if not angry and angsty, and a lot of time and money has been wasted in the ensuing period.\xa0

So, if the M\u0101ori Party want to waste some more time tomorrow moaning, that\u2019s OK.\xa0

It's also a small price to pay if Shane is successful in ending the circus.\xa0

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