[kall]

Originally Posted by nzherald

Graham Kelly, New Zealand's high commissioner to Canada, has had a ticking off for comments he made about Maori.

The former Labour MP told the senate last week, in a speech on New Zealand's fisheries quota system, that Maori "all held each other's hands to stop them from sinking on the voyage" to New Zealand from Hawaiki in 740.

"Once they got to New Zealand, they started fighting and eating each other; so there have been Maori wars ever since then. Now they are learning to get along with each other."

The comments angered Maori academics and politicians, who say he should be recalled from the position.

He should be WHAT?! Recalled?! For speaking the truth? This is crazy talk people. You cannot criticise somebody for speaking the truth. Maybe tell him 'This kind of thing isn't what we want trumpeted about in Public..', but not punish him.

Originally Posted by nzherald

Auckland University Professor Margaret Mutu said Mr Kelly was "an embarrassment".

"He doesn't belong overseas representing us. He needs to come back and learn the proper history of this country," she said.

Did he get the date wrong? Was it 738 or something?

He also made a comment to the effect of "Asian immigrants are of serious concern, they have no respect for the NZ environment and feature highly on crash statistics."

This comment earned him (shock freakin horror) displeasure from NZ's Asian community.

To all these people I say: YOU WANT THE TRUTH?! YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!

[busyness53]

KALL why is it that we have these people in jobs where you were suppose
to have an inkling of a brain and they some how get a person like you who
backs up what he says, there is a point to telling the truth and spouting
crap, truth does not hurt but do we say the Europeans came to N.Z and
raped the maori women oh and by the way girls as well, this is all written
history, yes the maori of yesterday did these things, probably a few of my
ancestors too but who was the first person to record this event. I'm sorry
but i agree that he should be reprimanded.

[Sparklechick]

I don't really see a problem with what he said either. Much worse things have been said in Parliament and nobody else has ever been reprimanded for it.

That maori guy held a gun in a public place and shot the NZ flag and what has happened to him?

The guy shouldn't have said it as he should have realised that some people might be sensitive to what he said, but I don't agree with the reprimand.

[kall]

Originally Posted by busyness53

KALL why is it that we have these people in jobs where you were suppose
to have an inkling of a brain and they some how get a person like you who
backs up what he says, there is a point to telling the truth and spouting
crap, truth does not hurt but do we say the Europeans came to N.Z and
raped the maori women oh and by the way girls as well, this is all written
history, yes the maori of yesterday did these things, probably a few of my
ancestors too but who was the first person to record this event. I'm sorry
but i agree that he should be reprimanded.

Hmm. You failed to answer any of the questions I raised in my thread, nor did you disprove any of the comments made by Mr Kelly.

What exactly was the point of your post (other than to point out that 18th century sailors were prone to rape? Something well known to all.)

[Cinque]

People don't like to be reminded of their origins, and it's "not the done thing" to state history factually for fear of offending someone else.

The fact is, in history, you have winners and losers. History is written by the winners and is attempted to be rewritten for the benefit of the losers.

There's a topical UK example going on right now (well, yesterday actually) - the Celebration of the Battle of Trafalgar where Admiral Lord Nelson gave Johhny Foreigner (the French and Spanish) a jolly good thrashing and then died. So as not to offend the French (who were intent on invading btw) the re-enactment was called The Battle of Red vs Blue!? Despite the lead ship being called Victory and sporting a handsome gentleman called Nelson....

You can't change history, and if you can't accept it, and learn from it then you need to try and work out what it is about yourself that you're really angry about.

[trogg]

Ok, maybe he shouldn't have said what he did being an official representative of NZ but this is starting to look like a media beat up because from what I understand when taken in context the comments (although a little inflammatory) are conveying facts about NZ and the history of our fishing industry (as the comments were made to the Canadian fishing ministry).

The conspirist in me has to ask what the real reason for the beat up is... perhaps a slow news week or maybe even the Canadian diplomatic position is a nice little retirement holiday for a friendly public servant like Dame Silvia Cartwright.

Dame Silvia tipped for foreign post in future

Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright may be in line for a diplomatic posting when her term expires - and it could be to replace former MP Graham Kelly in Ottawa.


Remember, not everything you see on the news or read in the newpaper is black and white.