In brief
- Co-governance threatens splitting Kiwis into a two-tier society, not unlike the COVID mandates, but this time the smaller number will be the privileged group.
- The difference is co-governance does so along racial and ethnic lines, and many people are in the dark about it.
- If co-governance continues to grow and becomes more obvious, are Kiwis going to protest?
Co-governance means a two-tier society like COVID mandates
If co-governance is implemented on a national scale in New Zealand, it will create a two-tier society, like this country experienced with the COVID vaccine passports. But instead of being divided by vaccination status, it will be along racial and ethnic lines.
Those not vaccinated for COVID-19 lost many rights, privileges and freedoms. Kiwis soon became polarised against the two-tier society in regards to COVID, even though it was only a relatively small percentage who were negatively affected. Why would co-governance be different when the majority would be negatively affected?
The Government was near gleeful about their strong arming on COVID
Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a stripping of rights along vaccination status during an interview with NZ Herald’s Deputy Political Editor Derek Cheng (from Oct. 24, 2021).
At the time Cheng said to her, you probably don’t see this as creating two classes of people, but Ardern contradicts him.
“That is what it is,” she said with a smile on her face. The concerns of “anti-vaxxers” were downplayed and routinely dismissed altogether by the Government and the media.
In contrast, the Government is downplaying the divisions of co-governance
How different is the messaging around co-governance? When the MSM writes about co-governance, it’s often said that it’s nothing to fear or it’s not as bad as you think it is. Or they make light of it, describing it as “spooking the daylights out of some Pākehā”. Many proponents argue that co-governance is already here and therefore no big deal in much the same way COVID vaccine advocates compared the mRNA vaccines to routine vaccinations like polio.
Co-governance will divide friends, family members and co-workers, just like the COVID vaccine did
The COVID vaccine mandates caused major fissures between friends, families and colleagues in New Zealand. Many have yet to heal. The mainstream media acted in lockstep to push the Government’s line on COVID vaccines as “safe and effective” while unquestioningly going along with some outrageously divisive policies.
Is the Government’s single-mindedness around co-governance and the media’s absence of coverage on the issue much different? The way co-governance is being pushed through is causing the same sort of schisms and potentially making race relations worse. Many feel resentment towards Māori and it’s not clear if most Māori even want co-governance.
People are not feeling free to ask questions about co-governance and speak up, just like talk of the COVID-19 vaccine
Many didn’t feel comfortable asking questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, for fear of being labelled an anti-vaxxer. Ditto for co-governance. ACT’s David Seymour says “many people feel unable to raise their voice on the constitutional future of their country for fear of being branded as racist.”
Contrarily, like the COVID vaccine, if you’re for co-governance, your views are supported by the Government and the mainstream media so you are free to talk, without feeling vulnerable.
Kiwis reaction to co-governance will likely be similar to the COVID vaccine mandates/passports
Labour is currently on the ropes as polls continue to deliver bad news in the lead up to the election. Considering how the framework of COVID restrictions completely fell apart as Kiwis rejected mandatory vaccinations and passports, could co-governance meet a similar fate?
Will the Government then get the message that Kiwis don’t want a two-tier society regardless of how it’s justified?
