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Mike Hosking: NZ Values Bill would lead to racism

Author
Mike Hosking ,
Publish Date
Tue, 2 Oct 2018, 10:01AM
The key is not the test, anyone can have or pass a test. The key is what is done to those who eventually fall foul of the test. Photo / Doug Sherring
The key is not the test, anyone can have or pass a test. The key is what is done to those who eventually fall foul of the test. Photo / Doug Sherring

Mike Hosking: NZ Values Bill would lead to racism

Author
Mike Hosking ,
Publish Date
Tue, 2 Oct 2018, 10:01AM

Clayton Mitchell was going to monitor talkback to see what the reaction was to New Zealand First's values test idea, I think he might have been pleased.

The trouble, of course, is several layers thick. And I suspect long term this is where the whole plan is going to come unstuck.  

The key is not the test, anyone can have or pass a test. The key is what is done to those who eventually fall foul of the test.  

Who monitors it? Who tests whether we have failure or not? And then if failure is confirmed, how long is it tied up in court for? And where do these people actually go?  

For example, a refugee from Syria, how long is the human rights case while he argues he is being sent home to die?  

But back to the start, what values are we testing? And to what extent are they monitored? Is abuse reported? And who to? Is a court involved? Are their options for diversion? If a court is involved, are the regular laws of the land part of the mix?  

Can you, for example, abuse a so-called value, while staying within the law of the land?  

Peters, in a line he's used many times over the years, referred to men who treat women as cattle. Great headline, but what does it mean? And what constitutes a breach?  

But, and here's why this thing has legs, it is based on an element of reality that there are a percentage of people who don't like immigration, don’t like foreigners especially ones who look or sound different, or who struggle with the language.  

If you want an example go to the news coverage Sunday night and look at the New Zealand First representatives and what their perception of NewZealand values are. They talk of dairy owners and they don’t speak our language.  

Now is that going to be a breach is it? You walk into a dairy, you don’t understand what the bloke behind the counter says, you ring Peters and he's booted out?  

It's racist.

And it’s the weird old component of the party that, sadly, has made them look ropey for most of the 25 years they’ve been in the game.  

However like it or not, this is an international phenomenon. And there are countries from Sweden to Britain to America where by the same sentiment has driven a Brexit, Trump to the White House, a Prime Minister to resign just last week, not to mention a new government in Italy.  

People feel their country isn't their own, and as long as they have one vote, and that vote counts the same as everyone else's, then you have a movement afoot that is having an impact. So don’t be surprised that it's surfacing here.  

The reality is New Zealand First is a 7 percent-ish party. And the sort of noises they make around immigration attract at least 7 percent. Further, although our scenario is nothing like Europe's, the same seeds are being planted.

Can though, and here's the big question, can they get it across the line into law? Not right now, they wouldn't have the numbers. But in a coalition deal? Would Labour fold to stay in power, if it came to it in 2020?

What do you think?

 

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