My reflections this morning

In a few days time, Thomas Coughlan will boast about how the Taxpayers Union Poll has National way out in the lead again, how Waitangi changed nothing much for ACT and NZ First and how Labour are no longer relevant.

That's how he started in January while Luxon was doing photo ops, painting a shed without spilling a spec of paint on himself nor the ground below.

Luxon put zero effort into his speech this year and none of it came from the heart, he was unable to address what was said and he stuck to telling us how to suck eggs...about money.

Audrey Young told us a few days ago that Bill English said the Crown needs to find its footing and give greater clarity about the limits of partnership with Māori, and although it sounds pathetic now, I am expecting Audrey to write a glowing article on Friday how Luxon did a great job with his speech compared to the others like Winston who spat the dummy, insulted everyone and buggered off - and then our 24 hours news cycle will focus our attention of other matters by then anyway.

In a week's time things will be hazy, in three weeks mostly forgotten.

It's a stretch to pretend Luxon's speech was good at all - when he recycled cliches about money really - and by not listening to a damned thing - perhaps the limits of partnership were made clear?

The limits involve cue cards, sulking about tikanga, the threats to bail out, the repeating of messages from previous Luxon speeches - about Captain Cook sailing south from Tahiti, the cliches, yeah it was hollow and lazy.

It showed how "I care deeply and want Maori to thrive because when Maori do well - New Zealand does well" was a bumper sticker - like the rest of Luxon's memorised shallow circus act.

The annual ticking of boxes were all ticked now for 2024 - and like every other year, as soon as the formal duties at Waitangi are finished, Luxon and the rest of the Atlas Network will now get out of Dodge, file their cue cards for next year, take a few promo photos of Luxon surrounded by smiling brown faces - and get back to the business of honouring the Coalition Agreement he foolishly signed up to.

The boasting about delivery will begin again soon as Simeon considers making every road sign in English only and David Seymour's Treaty principles Bill will get drafted anyway.

I expect Oliver Sean Plunket to be outraged at Māori, and colonial platforms to bark and snarl with big money behind them - as you do in this country...cos we are all equal ...when we are not.

Within a few weeks nobody will really remember much about yesterday nor today ...and I expect to just watch that process happen again this year.

I hope I am wrong and this year is different but we shall see.

Whilst some of us got up and watched the Dawn Service, listened to the prayers, listened to speeches, clapped James Shaw for his heartfelt words about two peoples, booed David Seymour for emphasising "all New Zealanders" - most rolled over in bed and remembered it's a holiday, and for many that is all today means.

A day when you don't have to be a wage slave. Time with family and a sleep in.

We are on a journey and God knows it takes a long time to wake the hell up if you've been asleep all your life.

I personally reflected why it has taken me so long to get to where I am at - with a long way still to go.

I blame myself really and I travel around in a private universe that is silent - like a camera...wondering what is going on in the internal world's of others.

Over on Waiheke it's busy this morning - as people catch buses, shop in villages and dine out ...and yeah, I did reflect how this might be the first year I understand the text of Te Tiriti and most of the colonial office history from 1833 onwards ...but there's no way to tell what others are thinking.

Do they even know anything about it?

Had they bothered to educate themselves at all?

I always laugh that there's a cost of living crisis going on when I see hundreds of luxury boats crammed into Oneroa Bay on Waiheke Island and this morning it was chock-full.

Brad from the flat says inflation is coming down now - but prices are still high and anybody buying breakfast today would have paid a steep price.

But look at all that money floating out there.

A Bay so crowded with luxury wealth that some locals voiced their concerns about Exotic Caulerpa, you know a noxious seaweed that kills the native environment - and how it will spread on the hulls of boats and they lamented - where were the messages to boat owners?

Yeah - do we even know what is being said by Mana Whenua here?

Maybe, maybe not, does anyone know their history, a people who became landless - or the other peoples here?

I doubt Luxon knows a damned thing in his seven houses, ranting about prosperity and school attendance like a wind up doll.

There's a Rāhui here - about where you can anchor and as you know - rumour has it Luxon drove through this and ignored all the restrictions - in his $250 Million boat recently - but maybe this is a good example of the "limits to partnership" Bill English thinks needs to be spelt out by the crown to Māori?

Cos I don't know what limits he is talking about - but that kind of talk sounds like BS to me - I want the guardians to guard the moana - and I want to be one too.

But man I love the way it's all been thought through and defined so beautifully by Māori...

Nobody in the government is listening, and you feel all alone - and many will soon forget, the box was ticked - when every day should be like today.

Bill English is not listening - he is spelling out limits to Maori, while Fran and Audrey agree.

Chris Luxon is not listening - he is ticking boxes and talking about money, making a mockery of the Crown, making a mockery of Queen Victoria's kindness and protection.

David Seymour thinks all New Zealanders should be able to call a Rāhui - not just Mana Whenua and Winston thinks he can turn his own back on Tikanga and demand respect.

To me Big Oil, Big Tobacco, The Gun Lobby, and Foreign Interests showed up at Waitangi yesterday saying we may not always agree, and it's okay to disagree, respectfully...and now - we'll see them carry on with their plans like none of the words spoken to them mattered.

They never came to listen.

They came to tick a box, to recite some words, and to leave - thinking they have scored a victory - and now it's time to push through their agenda ..to get back to parliament - where Nicola Willis can abuse Grant and Luxon can scoff at Chippy and Winston can insult TPM...cos they ticked the box, back to normal.

In a country that really does get it - these ugly uninformed, hollow people would not be winning in the polls by now.

They make us feel sad and fearful and longing for something better.

Like most of you - I am bursting with pride and aroha for what I saw from all the people who faced these empty suckers down - on the grounds and online ...

I see the hollow and the insincere.

I feel the sacred...I breathe it and I feel the tears of the great love of all those gone before ...

I know I am not alone, but I am ... a stranger on the earth, with my keyboard and not much else...just sitting here

It's a beautiful day out there...thank you for all your comments this morning on the open forum...we are the people...and we are never going to give in.

My reflections this morning

Morena

G