HeartLandNZ is totally opposed to the concept of Co-governance.

It is a reversal of New Zealand’s form of democracy. It destroys the principle of one person one vote of equal value. It sets in place a system where a minority, chosen based on race is enshrined with equal authority with a majority. It leads to the division of New Zealand based on race.

The idea of co-governance stems from a mistaken idea of the application of the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand law. It stemmed from a remark made by Judge Cook in the Muriwhenua case. Judge Cooke in an off-hand remark said he thought the relationship of Māori and the crown was like that of a business “partnership” implying that the Treaty of Waitangi is a partnership between Māori and the Crown. Judge Cooke’s offhand remark was not part of the judgement of the court in the Muriwhenua case. But the remark has been seized by the power seekers in the Māori world as requiring a partnership in the governance of government bodies and government affairs, co-governance in other words.

This leads to the destruction of one person one vote and vests in 16% of the population selected on a racial basis equal governance with the majority of 84%.” It destroys the basis of New Zealand’s democracy which is based on one person one vote of equal value

The idea of there being a partnership with the crown, i.e. Parliament  also is nonsensical in the fact that every citizen in New Zealand is a subject of the crown which has the sole governance of the country.

HeartLandNZ opposes co-governance in national government, in the health system, in Local Government, in water management and in all government boards and authorities.