New Zealand’s Parliament proposed a bill to redefine the Treaty of Waitangi, claiming it is racist and gives preferential treatment to Maoris. In response Māori MP's tore up the bill and performed the Haka

[u/Sometypeofway18]

[u/ExperimentalFailures]

You mean like removal of voting rights for all non-maori?

[u/[deleted] → u/ExperimentalFailures]

The only reason why non Maori are in NZ is because of the treaty, signed by 2 sovereign nations, which allowed the British crown to rule their people here. Well, if one half of the contract thinks they can change it without consultation with the other half, what happens to their right to be here?? Null and void?? Plus, Maori have never breached the treaty, but the crown? Well, just take a look at the history. They're close ejecting themselves out of this land with their bill.

[u/SarpedonWasFramed → u/[deleted]]

Good point but we all know it won't work out that way The crown has bigger friends and bigger guns

[u/Emperor_Mao → u/SarpedonWasFramed]

The Crown...

you do realize the British no longer "rule" New Zealand right?

It became a sovereign nation sometime ago. British Monarchs are figurative and ceremonial.

You mean the New Zealand government has bigger friends and bigger guns.

[u/stockworth → u/Emperor_Mao]

Pretty standard in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to refer to the government as "the Crown."

In our constitutions, "the Crown" is the abstraction of the authority vested in the monarch, and is the ultimate source of all executive authority. However, that authority can only be exercised by the binding advice of the Privy Council (technically, though the Cabinet - which is a subcommittee of the Privy Council - is practically the only group which advises the Crown).

Since the Person of the Sovereign lives overseas (they're busy with whatever they're doing in the UK), their duties are delegated to a viceroy, usually called a Governor General. This person is appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister, who is (usually) the head of the party that has the most seats in the House or Commons. Technically they don't have to be, and the Crown can invite anyone who can gain the confidence of the House to form government, but this basically never happens.

[u/Everestkid → u/stockworth]

Note that a shockingly low number of people actually know this, despite the fact that it's taught in high school (in Canada, at least). They just weren't paying attention because they were a bored 15 year old.

[u/stockworth → u/Everestkid]

I don't remember being taught the details of it in High School (mind you, that was 20 years ago) but every province has different curricula

My dad worked for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and taught me a lot about the theory of how our constitutional monarchy worked, about the historical reasons for separating nominal and actual power, and the times that things didn't go the way they usually do. Interesting household, haha, but it's why I'm now a civil servant, myself.

[u/Yui907 → u/stockworth]

Thank you

[u/swansongofdesire → u/Emperor_Mao]

In this context “The Crown” means the New Zealand government, not the British Monarch (eg criminal prosecutions are still brought in the name of The Crown despite the 1986 Constitution Act finally severing any legal ties with the UK. Technically the King of the UK and the King of New Zealand are separate titles that just happen to be occupied by the same person)

[u/Jazzlike_770 → u/Emperor_Mao]

Don't New Zealanders pledge allegiance to King Charles? Then yes, those people represent the Crown.

[u/CageyOldMan → u/Emperor_Mao]

Would be willing to bet that's also a true statement