Its Newshub of course, and to be fair, the writer is comparatively young, and new to the job. However, its not a difficult subject. Why would you accept that a petition calling for everyone to be treated equally under the law is racist?

A letter calling on citizens to sign a petition has been dropped in letterboxes across the Bay of Plenty. It is headed “We demand our democratic rights and democracy back”.

Given the Ardern govt is spending billions of dollars on a race rather than need basis, and is also spitting out a never ending litany of race based legislation, one would think the issue might be of some interest to New Zealanders.

However we are told right in the headline that the letter is “disgraceful”. The opening sentence also labels it “disgraceful”. An unnamed Maori woman from Rotorua was asked to comment. She said she was appalled, shocked and that the letter was “disgusting”.

Next we have a comment from Matthew Tukaki, the executive director of the Māori Council, a well known anti-white race hustler. He also says the letter is a disgrace and that “It incites more people to racism. That’s the brutal honesty here”.

Except it does not do that and neither is Mr Tukaki’s statement objectively “honest”. However his statement goes unchallenged and was accorded enough credibility by Newshub to be printed. Mr Tukaki goes on-

“The letter quite frankly is a disgrace, but what has emerged in the last few weeks is that these people are emboldened – they are emboldened because we have politicians who are creating the opportunity for these people to creep from those dark corners and out into the open”

Which of course is a veiled reference to Judith Collins. He continues-

Politicians who race-bait must be held accountable – as do the very people who continue to lambast Māori, to denigrate and demonise us

Newshub print part of the letter, saying the petition calls on the Government and Parliament to do four things:

• declare the terms “principles of the Treaty of Waitangi” and “partnership between Māori and the Crown” as “invalid and of no effect”
• ensure New Zealand has “one sovereignty, one people (of many origins), and one law with no discriminatory or preferential entitlements allocated based on race, ancestry, ethnicity, creed, or identity”
• that no Treaty-based constitution be enacted
• that the official name of New Zealand be confirmed as that and the “1890s mythical fabricated name of Aotearoa” be declared a “nullity”.

Newshub say the letter expresses opposition to Māori wards in local councils and co-governance between the Crown and Māori and says-

“Enclosed is a petition compiled by a group of very concerned citizens as to the profoundly serious issues relating to the trashing of NZ democracy which is taking place right now. The 85 percent majority of New Zealanders (the irrelevant majority) are rapidly being brushed aside from their rights as citizens in their own country which is sliding into a state of apartheid.”

Maybe the letter is a bit radical in its language and proposals, but it could hardly be defined as “disgraceful, shocking, appalling and disgusting”. The image is unclear, so its not easy to read but one cannot see where it “racebaits”, or “denigrates and demonises” anyone.

This all seems like an over the top reaction, and worse, and attempt by Newshub and Mr Tukaki to simply discredit and vilify the ideas presented in the letter. Instead of all of the hyperbole and pejorative terms, it would be good to see a rational rebuttal.

Its clear we’re never going to get this kind of sanity or dispassionate objective reporting from Newshub. Its completely beyond them. Which is why they need to go broke as soon as possible. Our democracy suffers so badly from these fake newsers.

Note: No connection with or knowledge of the persons who produced the letter.