Late afternoon sky

Today I sat down at the MacBook and wrote my submission to Parliament on the Regulatory Standards Bill. This is another Bill submitted by David Seymour, who is leader of the ACT Party; which gained just 8.6% of the Party vote in the 2023 elections. He is presently Deputy Prime  Minister, and is Acting PM because Luxon is yet again out of the country.

The Bill is highly significant as this is acting as a replacement for the Treaty Principles Bill which was thrown out of Parliament when all Parties except ACT voted against that Bill. Over 300,000 submissions were made, over 90% of which were opposed.

This time the intention to remove reference to Te Tiriti Waitangi (The  Treaty of Waitangi), and/or reference to partnership with Maori (Hapu (family groups) and Iwi (tribes).The intention of such references in legislation is that Maori lag far behind Pakeha on many measures of well-being and therefore equity requires specific remedial action.

I am appalled the David Seymour opposes Maori having a lower age for public service payment of screening for bowel cancer on the basis that it represents unequal service provision. He is intelligent and must know that Maori have a much higher risk of early onset of bowel cancer, and making them wait 12 years longer is inequitable. 

If he really doesn't know the difference between equitable and equal, he needs to learn it very quickly, and act accordingly. Presently, he appears to be dealing in mistruths.

We visited daughter C for a very pleasant afternoon tea; actually coffee and home made biscuits. Mr Hwas in the process of writing his own submission. He has been actively encouraging friends to do likewise. They have until midday tomorrow; four weeks after introduction of the Bill and call for the making of submissions. 

My photo appealed in a number of ways, not least because it appears rather like the sScales of Justice