Opinion: A culture war?

04/12/2023

I wrote an opinion piece for e-tangata. It is based on a series of pre-and-post election briefings I provided a small number of clients. This particular opinion piece summarises my views on the coalition agreements, and the likely implementation risks the government will need to be actively managing if they are to have any sort of success.

I have received alot of positive feedback about the article, for that I am grateful. For those of you who said I was brave, just a reminder I’m not a public servant, and as Audre Lorde said:

“My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you. But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those truths for which I am still seeking, I had made contact with other women while we examined the words to fit a world in which we all believed, bridging our differences.”

We cannot hope to be the nation we aspire to be or build the communities we need to sustain us if we don’t use our words to connect.

Use your words. He mana tō te kupu.

A culture war? Te ao Māori is ready

Disclaimer

These are my evolving thoughts, rhetorical positions and creative provocations. They are not settled conclusions. Content should not be taken as professional advice, official statements or final positions. I reserve the right to learn, unlearn, rethink and grow. If you’re here to sort me neatly into left vs right, keep moving. I’m not the partisan you’re looking for. These in...

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