Apparently emergencies are race-based now

“Just when you thought the Greens had run out of ways to divide New Zealanders by race, they’ve discovered ethnically specific natural disasters,” says ACT candidate Paul Henry.

“The Greens want to spend $2.4 billion backing marae as emergency hubs, with iwi deciding how the money is spent according to tikanga.

“I’m slightly confused. When did earthquakes and other natural disasters start discriminating?

“Only the Greens could take something that rallies New Zealanders of all backgrounds and brings out the best of us, as it is said after every disaster, and turn it into a race issue – by saying $2.4 billion will be given to Māori and spent according to Māori protocols instead of democratic protocols.

“When a river bursts its banks, or half a hillside falls down, ordinary New Zealanders do something quite remarkable. They help each other. Farmers turn up with tractors. Surf lifesavers get out their boats. Churches, schools, community halls, sports clubs and marae open their doors.

“Marae did fantastic work during Cyclone Gabrielle. Where they are well placed to help, they should be supported. But so should everyone else who can actually do the job.

“That's why we have a whole agency, NEMA, who co-ordinate response activity. They know who's on the ground, and who can do most with limited resources.

“There are plenty of communities in New Zealand that don’t have a marae. Curiously enough, the people who live in those places still pay taxes. They also experience storms, floods, fires and earthquakes.

“If the Greens have discovered a new variety of emergency that only affects Māori, or can only be responded to by Māori, they should probably tell the rest of us what it is. I for one will be fascinated.

“Instead, the Greens have reached for their favourite solution. Divide everyone by race, create another co-governance structure, sprinkle tikanga over the top, and then add an absolutely colossal amount of taxpayer money.

“And $2.4 billion really is colossal. You thought it was bad when Tama Potaka and Shane Jones spent $8.6 million on a new marae in New Plymouth, and it was. But the Greens want to spend 300 times that amount.

“Emergencies should be one of those rare moments when all the political nonsense disappears. Our emergency policy should be equally colour-blind. If the best emergency hub is a marae, fantastic. If it’s a school, fire station, church, surf club or community hall, fantastic.

“Disasters unite us. Our disaster response policy should do the same.

“That approach is admittedly less exciting than designing an entirely new race-based funding structure, but it has the disadvantage of making sense. No-wonder the Greens aren't interested."